Malaysia recorded 17.5 million international visitor arrivals between January and May this year, an increase of 3.4 per cent compared with the same period last year, driven by strong demand from key source markets despite global geopolitical challenges.
Tourism Malaysia director-general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said Malaysia also saw encouraging growth from emerging markets in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Moving forward, Tourism Malaysia will continue focusing on attracting high-quality visitors, particularly from regional markets such as ASEAN, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, while strengthening domestic tourism offerings.
“If not for the conflict in the Middle East, we could have targeted even stronger growth. Nevertheless, the 3.4 per cent increase shows that Malaysia’s tourism industry remains resilient,” he said.
The agency is also exploring measures to improve connectivity, including new charter flight arrangements, to attract more international travellers.
The latest performance follows Malaysia’s strong tourism recovery in 2025, when the country recorded 42.2 million international visitor arrivals, an 11.2% increase from 38 million arrivals in 2024.
The growth comes as Tourism Malaysia intensifies preparations for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), including through a strategic partnership with global travel platform Tripadvisor to promote Malaysia as a preferred tourist destination.
Under the two-year collaboration, which runs until the end of 2027, Tourism Malaysia will gain access to Tripadvisor’s performance data and travel insights to strengthen its data-driven tourism planning and marketing strategies, while also exploring co-branding campaigns, digital innovation and programmes recognising excellence in Malaysia’s tourism industry.
The partnership will also focus on strengthening the digital presence of local tourism industry players by enhancing destination content and tourism product listings to improve their visibility among international travellers.
“At the domestic level, we are also intensifying efforts to enhance tourism products by refreshing our travel package offerings to ensure they remain attractive and encourage more people to travel within the country,” he said.
Malaysia also received three accolades in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards 2026, with Kuala Lumpur named among Asia’s best food destinations, the Petronas Twin Towers recognised as one of the region’s top tourist attractions, and Pantai Cenang in Langkawi Island listed among Asia’s best beaches.
Mohd Amirul Rizal said the recognition reflects the competitiveness of Malaysia’s tourism offerings and further strengthens the country’s position as a preferred destination for international travellers for the ongoing VM2026 campaign.
