Officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) expect a significant number of foreign arrivals for this year. This potential influx will be driven by the increased number of international flights into the country which rose to 3,100 per week, increasing weekly arrivals by up to 620,000 passengers.
According to Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), 2025 has great potential for the travel sector. Recent enhancements to the government’s tourism budget will also be beneficial.
“Given the resources at our disposal, we’re confident about meeting or even exceeding Tourism Malaysia’s set targets.”
For 2025, the Malaysian government has allocated approximately US$123 million for tourism promotion, as well as related initiatives for Visit Malaysia Year 2026. The tourism budget covers cultural activities, tourism events, flight access improvements, and economic empowerment initiatives involving traditional crafts.
Who’s flown to Malaysia in 2024?
MOTAC and the Malaysian Department of Immigration report that Singaporeans made up the bulk of tourist arrivals between January and October 2024, totaling 7.6 million visitors. Indonesia followed with more than 3.1 million tourist arrivals.
2024 also saw a significant surge in Chinese tourists to Malaysia, reaching 2.9 million, marking a 136.5 percent increase from 2023. Other significant arrivals included more than 961,000 from India, 412,000 from South Korea, and 349,000 from Taiwan.
Rethinking strategies
Wong pointed out that Malaysia fell short of its target of five million Chinese tourists for 2024, primarily due to issues with flight connectivity and competition in Southeast Asia for the booming Chinese tourism market. He mentioned that Malaysia exceeded its targets for arrivals from India, highlighting the potential for growth in this market as well.
Potential markets
Dr. Angie Ng, president of the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association commented:
“Chinese tourists are more inclined towards the Ritchie Market, as Free Independent Travellers and in smaller groups. This calls for a review of our tourism policies.”
On the other hand, Mint Leong from the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association urged authorities to explore the Russian market more effectively, stating:
“In my view, the market with significant potential right now is Russia. If the Tourism and Transport ministries can collaborate effectively, chartered flights can stimulate tourism.”
She also emphasized the need for flexibility in approving chartered flights as a means to enhance economic growth and boost passenger traffic.
