Chinese Visitors Spend RM1.5 Billion in Malaysia Over CNY
MALAYSIA saw a 50% increase in tourists from China during Chinese New Year and tour operators estimated that they have spent between RM1bil and RM1.5bil in the country, reported Sin Chew Daily.
According to Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association president Paul Paw, more than 100,000 Chinese tourists, comprising some 5,000 tour groups, have visited Malaysia since Feb 5.
Paw said this represented a 50% increase compared to the same period in 2023, making Malaysia one of the top five destinations for Chinese tourists this year. “Tourists from China arrived in droves. Restaurants, shopping malls and food courts across the country were filled with people. It made us excited,” he said.
Paw added that Chinese tourists typically prefer touring either the northern region (Penang and Perak), central region (Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, and Melaka), or the southern region (Johor and Singapore), based on the proximity of tourist attractions.
Sabah, in particular, emerged as a popular diving destination among Chinese tourists.
The recent waiver of travel visas for Chinese tourists since December 2023 has been cited by many operators as a significant factor driving the surge in tourist numbers.
Source : Panorama
Chinese visitors spent RM9.05bil in Malaysia between January and June
The increase in direct and charter flights between China and Malaysia, coupled with mutual visa-free policies, has led to a notable rise in Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia this year, especially those who prefer flexible travel options.
Industry players suggest that these numbers may soon surpass pre-pandemic figures in 2019.
In the first eight months of this year, Malaysia welcomed 2,285,785 Chinese tourists, marking a 160% increase compared to the same period last year.
In 2019, before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia received 3.1 million tourists from China.
In May this year, China had agreed to extend its visa-free policy for Malaysian tourists until the end of 2025, and the visa-free duration per trip was extended from 15 to 30 days.
The Malaysian government later announced an extended visa exemption for Chinese travellers until the end of 2026.
Travel groups have reported that many Chinese tourists took advantage of the visa-free policy during China’s Golden Week, from Oct 1 to 7, allowing them to travel freely in Malaysia, nearly reaching the 2019 levels of tourism.
Chinese visitors spent RM9.05bil in Malaysia between January and June.
The Golden Week is China’s longest holiday stretch and a significant time for family reunions and travel.
Source : The Star
Chinese Visitors Spend In Malaysia Will Exceed RM30 Billion In Year 2025
Chinese tourism spending in Malaysia could surge to over RM30 billion next year, nearly double than 2019, driven by an expected increase in tourist arrivals from China and higher average spending per visitor, according to analysts.
They noted that Chinese visitors are spending significantly more in the post-COVID era.
In the first half of 2024, the average tourism expenditure per Chinese visitor was 27 per cent higher than in 2019 (1H 2024: RM6,242 vs. 2019: RM4,921), according to Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB).
“Our channel checks reveal that the recent summer holidays saw Chinese visitor arrivals exceeding even pre-COVID levels. We estimate that Chinese visitor arrivals may surge to five million in 2025 (60 per cent more than 2019), and Chinese tourism expenditure may also surge to over RM30 billion, it said in a note.
Malaysia and Singapore have emerged as top destinations for Chinese tourists, both ranking in the top 10 most visited countries, with flight seat capacity from China surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This is largely attributed to the waiver of visa requirements for Chinese visitors.
In the first eight months of this year, Malaysia saw the arrival of 2,285,785 Chinese tourists, a 160 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, Malaysia welcomed 3.1 million tourists from China.
Seat capacity from China to Malaysia and Singapore surged from below 80,000 in early 2023 to around 400,000 by September 2024. In September alone, seat capacity to Malaysia reached 123 per cent of pre-COVID levels, while Singapore saw 118 per cent.
“We observe Chinese visitation to Singapore because a third of all Chinese visitors to Malaysia enter by land from Singapore as part of ‘Xin-Ma-Tai’ (Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand) tours,” Maybank IB added.
The growth in seat capacity from China to Malaysia has been primarily driven by Chinese airlines rather than Malaysian carriers.
Based on the September 2024 seat capacity of 419,153 from China to Malaysia and an 80 per cent load factor, the investment bank estimates that Malaysia could receive four million Chinese visitors by air in 2025.
With an additional 1.1 million Chinese tourists expected to enter via land from Singapore, the total number of Chinese visitors could reach five million in 2025.
Source : NST
Chinese Visitors’ Average Spending In Malaysia The Highest Among Foreign Visitors
Malaya’s tourism sector was worth an estimated 251.5 billion ringgit ($53bn), or 14 percent of the gross domestic product in 2022, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Total tourism spending amounted to 92.7 billion ringgit ($19.6bn), of which 33.4 billion ringgit ($7bn), or 36.1 percent, came from foreign tourists.
While China accounted for the third-largest number of tourists, Chinese visitors’ average spending was among the highest for foreign visitors.
Chinese tourists spent an average of 661-768 ringgit ($140-$162) per day in Malaysia between 2017 and 2019, 19 to 72 percent higher than the average tourist, according to research by Hong Leong Investment Bank Research
Source : Al Jazeera
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