Malaysia takes 14th spot among world’s top tourist destinations
In 2024, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) aims to attract 27.3 million international tourists, 36% more than in 2023, and international tourism receipts of RM102.7 billion.
Malaysia surges to the 14th place among the world’s top tourist destinations.
According to WP Travel, a website offering free web plugins for tour operators, travel booking and trekking agencies, Malaysia improved its ranking from 15th place last year.
It said Malaysia has advanced to claim the 14th spot this year by welcoming 26.1 million tourists, a significant increase from the 20.14 million visitors in the previous year.
Based on Data Panda‘s findings, France topped the list as the most visited country worldwide, with an impressive total of 89.4 million tourist arrivals.
Spain closely follows with 83.7 million tourists, securing the second spot, while the United States ranks third with 79.3 million visitors.
In South-East Asia, Thailand takes the 11th spot on the global list, attracting 39.8 million travellers and surpassing Malaysia, which currently holds the 2nd position in the region.
Vietnam ranks 21st with 18 million tourist arrivals, followed by Indonesia and Singapore at 27th and 28th places, attracting 15.5 million and 15.1 million tourists, respectively.
Travellers planning their trips should consider South-East Asia and explore the hidden gems of Malaysia which offers diverse experiences in its rich tapestry of attractions that cater to every traveller’s taste.
From the bustling markets of Kuala Lumpur to the tranquil tea plantations of the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia showcases a blend of old-world charm and modern vibrancy that captivates visitors.
It is no wonder that Malaysia has earned its place among the most visited countries globally, as every corner tells a story, every dish is a culinary delight, and every smile welcomes travellers to a truly immersive Malaysian hospitality.
Source : The Star
Malaysia is among the top trending tourist destinations in Asia
It has been two years since Malaysia reopened to international tourists. The tourism sector, which took a hit when the borders were closed from 2020 to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has yet to fully recover.
However, the tourism industry continues to show positive signs of recovery as tourist arrivals doubled over the past year.
Based on statistics from Tourism Malaysia, the country received 20.14 million international arrivals in 2023, as opposed to 10.07 million in 2022, and generated RM71.3bil in tourism revenue. The 100% increase in tourist arrivals is an encouraging sign, even if it is still 22.8% lower than 2019’s 26.1 million.
For 2024, Tourism Malaysia is aiming to achieve 27.3 million tourist arrivals with a total expenditure of RM102.7bil.
If the industry’s growth last year up until Q1 of 2024 is anything to go by, this ambitious venture may just be realised.
High ranking
According to the fifth annual report by Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), Malaysia’s tourism recovery is on track, with certain categories – such as shopping and dining – recording numbers higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The report draws on a unique analysis of aggregated and anonymised Mastercard transaction data, including Mastercard SpendingPulse and third-party data sources, to provide comprehensive insights into the travel industry across 74 markets, 13 of which are in the Asia Pacific region (APAC).
Entitled Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries, the report also analyses key tourism trends for 2024 and beyond.
APAC destinations, as per the report, are trending worldwide. By measuring the change in share of tourism transactions over 12 months (ending March 2024), MEI is able to determine the top 10 trending tourism destinations worldwide – and APAC countries make up half of the list.
Malaysia places 6th on the list, ranking second if taking only the APAC destinations into consideration. It places ahead of Australia (7th), South Korea (8th) and Indonesia (10th).
Meanwhile, Japan takes the top spot, with a growth of 0.9%. Travellers from Asia made up 79.4% of the country’s total passenger traffic by the end of 2023. It also received 3,081,600 international visitors in March 2024.
Longer stays
Aside from receiving more visits, APAC countries – excluding Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) – have also been seeing longer stays and higher spending by tourists.
As of March 2024, travellers to APAC are extending their trips by an average of 1.2 days. This sums up to a total duration of 7.4 days, which compares to the 2019 average of 6.1 days. Affordability of the destinations, warm weather and favourable exchange rates are the top reasons for the extended stays by tourists from outside APAC, such as the Americas and Europe.
Both worldwide and in Asean, travellers are extending by approximately one more day of vacation per trip. Looking at Malaysia specifically, tourists are spending an average of 6.4 days – this shows positive growth, when compared to the average 5.6 days seen pre-Covid-19.
When it comes to shopping in Asean markets, tourism spending on casual apparel sees a substantial increase for the period of April 2023 to March 2024. Malaysia recorded a 73.8% increase during the 12 months than the same period last year, but luxury apparel shopping by tourists here saw a lower increase of 47.1%.
There is an even greater boost on tourism dining in Asean markets, with Malaysia recording the highest increase in casual dining, totalling 82.8%. It also recorded a 50.4% increase in fine dining.
Source : The Star
Malaysia’s Travel & Tourism Sector Projected to Exceed Previous Heights
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) projects a significant year of growth for Malaysia’s Travel & Tourism sector, with its economic contribution, employment, and domestic visitor spending expected to break all records this year.
According to the latest data, the sector’s contribution to Malaysia’s national economy is set to reach MYR 198.7BN in 2024, surpassing the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 by 1.6%, representing 10.5% of the national economy.
Employment in Travel & Tourism is also expected to increase significantly this year, with job numbers projected to rise to more than 2.4MN, growing 5.2% compared to last year and 5.3% above the 2019 peak.
Visitor spending is forecast to experience substantial growth, with domestic visitor spending expected to reach MYR 106.5BN, more than one fifth (21.6%) 2019 levels.
International visitor expenditure is anticipated to reach MYR 93.7BN, up 27.8% from 2023, although still 6.2% behind 2019 levels.
The expected growth in Malaysia’s Travel & Tourism sector will be complemented by the governments recently announced ‘Visit Malaysia 2026’ strategic roadmap, which aims to attract more travellers from around the world over the coming years.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, commented: “The growth in Malaysia’s Travel & Tourism sector highlights the government’s commitment to making tourism a cornerstone of economic development.
“This focus not only drives economic progress but also enhances Malaysia’s standing as a top travel destination.”
Source : WTTC
Stats Dept: Malaysia records 64.8 million domestic tourists in Q2 2024, up 23.8pc
A total of 64.8 million local tourists were recorded in the second quarter of 2024, marking a 23.8 per cent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said that domestic tourism expenditure for the second quarter of 2024 also rose 28.6 per cent to RM28.1 billion.
He said the performance of domestic tourism in 2023 showed strong growth, with domestic visitor arrivals reaching 213.7 million people, a 24.6 per cent increase from 171.6 million the previous year.
“In addition, domestic tourism receipts rose by 32.5 per cent to RM84.9 billion, thus reflecting the positive impact of the reopening of all economic activities.
“However, if compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, total domestic arrivals was still 10.6 per cent lower and receipts declined by 17.7 per cent,” he said in a statement today.
Mohd Uzir said that in line with the national recovery, all states recorded significant increases in both tourism volume and receipts.
He said that last year, Selangor led with the highest domestic tourism receipts at RM11.1 billion, followed by Kuala Lumpur (RM11 billion), Sarawak (RM6.94 billion) and Pahang (RM6.73 billion).
He pointed out that shopping remained the primary driver of tourism receipts, contributing RM30.84 billion, in addition to expenditure on food and beverages, accommodation and automotive fuel.
“The main purpose of domestic overnight trips for all states was visiting relatives and friends, except for Labuan where holiday and leisure travel prevailed,” he said.
Mohd Uzir said the national average length of stay (ALOS) was 2.45 nights, a slight decrease from 2.55 nights in 2022, while several states record ALOS exceeding the national average, including Sarawak (3.48 nights), Kelantan (3.07 nights), Labuan (2.89 nights), Kuala Lumpur (2.70 nights), Sabah (2.67 nights) and Terengganu (2.59 nights).
He said that based on the social and demographic profile of domestic tourists, nine states — Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya — had the most number of domestic visitors from households earning between RM5,001 and RM10,000 per month.
The other seven states — Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, Perlis, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak — recorded the highest percentage of visitors from households earning between RM1,001 and RM3,000 per month.
Source : Malay Mail
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