Malaysia Falls Short of 2024 Tourist Arrival Targets Despite Recording Over 25 Million Visitors

Malaysia has missed its 2024 target of attracting 27.3 million international tourists, despite recording over 25 million arrivals throughout the year.

The latest data from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture shows a 24.2% increase in tourist arrivals compared to 2023. Singapore led the list of visitor sources with 9.1 million arrivals, followed by Indonesia (3.65 million), China (3.29 million), Thailand (1.64 million), and Brunei (1.14 million).

To boost tourism figures, Tourism Malaysia has raised its promotional and development budget for 2025 to RM10 million ($2.26 million), up from RM7.6 million in 2024. The government is expected to introduce further initiatives to attract more international visitors and strengthen the tourism sector.