Following a record-breaking 2024, Malaysia is looking to build on this growth and raise the bar still further in 2025. Supported by strategic investments, improved connectivity and growing interest from international source markets, the country is already on course to meet its new targets.

In 2024, almost 3 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia in 2024, representing an impressive 136.5% increase on the previous year. Malaysia also met and quickly exceeded its original targets for tourist arrivals from India, cementing its reputation as the destination of choice for international holidaymakers.

Singapore remains the largest source of foreign tourists for Malaysia, contributing 7.6 million visitors from January to October 2024. In second place, Indonesia contributed over 3.1 million arrivals, while other markets, such as Thailand (1.4 million tourists) and Brunei (1 million, reflecting 51% growth), also continued to grow last year.

India also emerged as a standout performer with enormous potential, with over 961,000 arrivals representing a 72% year-on-year increase. Similarly, South Korea (412,000 visitors, 20.8% growth) and Taiwan (349,000 visitors, 39.2% growth) showcased robust contributions to Malaysia’s tourism numbers.