Thursday, January 2, 2025 Malaysia sees a record 22.5 million visitors in 2024, fueled by an extraordinary tourism surge from Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, and Vietnam. Malaysia, celebrated as Asia’s most-adored country in a survey last year, welcomed an impressive 22.
5 million foreign tourists, excluding day-trippers, from January to November 2024. This marked a 26% increase compared to the previous year, according to Malaysia’s Tourism Statistics. Singapore emerged as the leading contributor, accounting for 8 million visitors, followed by Indonesia with 3.
2 million arrivals and China with 3 million. Thailand and Brunei rounded out the top five sources of international tourists. Malaysia has set an ambitious goal of attracting 27.
3 million foreign visitors by the end of 2024. To support this target, the country extended its visa waiver program for Indian nationals until December 31, 2026, and similarly extended visa exemptions for Chinese nationals through 2026. These initiatives, originally launched in December 2023, allow Chinese and Indian tourists to enjoy visa-free stays of up to 30 days.
Malaysia’s vibrant cultural heritage and natural beauty earned it the title of Asia’s most-loved destination in a June 2024 survey conducted by American finance platform Insider Monkey. By comparison, Thailand hosted over 35 million international tourists in 2024, while Vietnam recorded nearly 16 million visitors as of November..
