【Text by Observer Net, Wang Yong; Editor by Zhao Qiankun】
According to media reports from Malaysia's Star Newspaper and the Asia ASEAN Briefing website, since 2025, Malaysia's tourism industry has experienced strong growth, becoming one of the country's main economic engines. In the first five months of this year, Malaysia received a total of 16.94 million foreign tourists, among whom Chinese tourists had the largest increase, reaching 1.81 million people.
According to the latest forecasts from Malaysia's tourism industry, the country's tourism sector is expected to generate over 332 billion ringgit (approximately RMB 562.3 billion) in revenue this year, contributing more than 11% to the total GDP. This growth is driven by increasing interest from travelers around the world in the region, as well as Malaysia's strategic marketing efforts.
The growth in the tourism industry has had a direct impact on Malaysia's labor market. Analysis data show that in 2025, the tourism industry will support over 3.5 million jobs. It is expected that by 2035, the country will add 860,000 jobs in fields such as hotels, transportation, retail, and entertainment.
Langkawi Scenery, Malaysia National Tourism Board Official Website
The report stated that international tourist spending is expected to account for 52.2% of Malaysia's total tourism expenditure in 2025, while domestic tourists will account for 47.8%. Among all travel expenditures, holiday travel accounts for 87%, while business travel accounts for 13% of the expenditure. However, with the gradual recovery of Malaysia's conference tourism, the number of business travelers and their spending will increase. By 2035, foreign tourist spending may exceed 170 billion ringgit (approximately RMB 287.9 billion), while domestic consumption may reach 158 billion ringgit (approximately RMB 267.5 billion).
According to the aforementioned media reports, Malaysia's international tourists mainly come from neighboring countries, with travelers from Singapore accounting for 36%, Indonesia for 15%, China for 13%, Thailand for 7%, and Brunei for 5%. Proximity, visa facilitation, and improved air connectivity are key factors driving the growth of Malaysia's tourism industry.
While successfully attracting short-term travelers and weekend trips from neighboring countries, Malaysians also enjoy traveling to neighboring countries, including China, Indonesia, and Thailand. This two-way tourism exchange strengthens cooperation and connections between various countries.
The report mentioned that after the China-Malaysia visa exemption agreement came into effect on July 17 this year, the momentum of growth in Malaysia's tourism industry has become even stronger. More and more Chinese tourists are beginning to explore less-known destinations in the country, such as Sabah and Sarawak, rather than just traditional popular attractions.
According to relevant information, since 2025, Malaysia's tourism industry has continuously increased its marketing efforts in the Chinese market, conducting tourism resource promotions in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Urumqi, and Lanzhou, encouraging Chinese tourists to explore more emerging tourism destinations, such as Sabah's diving paradise, Sarawak's tropical rainforests, Terengganu's island scenery, and Pahang's national parks.
According to data provided by Qunar to Observer Net, during the summer this year, Malaysia was one of the top three most popular destinations for Chinese travelers' outbound tours, with hotel booking volumes increasing by 43% year-on-year. The most popular cities in Malaysia are Kuala Lumpur, Tawau, Langkawi, etc. From the perspective of international ticket issuance, Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is one of the most popular cities for outbound tours on Qunar's platform during the summer.
The aforementioned media reports stated that Dato Sri Zhang Qingxin, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, said that the visa facilitation measures and proactive promotional strategies introduced by Malaysia in recent years are important reasons for the continuous growth of international tourists, including those from China. "Next year is the Year of Tourism in Malaysia. The tourism department aims to attract 47 million foreign tourists to visit."
In May this year, when the Malaysia National Tourism Bureau promoted tourism in Beijing, Noor Fadilah K. Azmi, Director of the International Markets (Asia and Africa) of the bureau, told Observer Net, "Malaysia will focus on sustainable development, cultural diversity, and high-value tourism. This will continue to drive Malaysia's economic growth, create high-quality employment opportunities, and enhance Malaysia's global competitiveness as a preferred destination for Chinese outbound tourism."
Azmi introduced that for a long time, Malaysia has been one of the most favorite destinations for Chinese tourists. "Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country. Tourists here can not only experience Malay culture and Chinese culture, but also Indian culture and Filipino culture. In terms of food, Malaysia has many Chinese restaurants, and many Chinese tourists feel very comfortable when they come to Malaysia."
According to the aforementioned media reports, in addition to tourism marketing and implementing policy measures, Malaysia is also heavily investing in infrastructure projects to support the expected growth of the tourism industry. For example, the Kedah Kluang International Airport continues to expand routes and enhance regional connectivity, aiming to become a regional air hub in Malaysia. Meanwhile, airports in areas such as Langkawi and Penang are also improving the accessibility of domestic air travel. In addition, the total mileage of Malaysia's national railway network, as well as the metro and light rail in Kuala Lumpur, is also continuously growing.
In terms of consumer payments, with the significant increase in mobile internet penetration and the widespread use of mobile devices, it has greatly facilitated travelers' online bookings and travel navigation. The promotion of digital payments has further met the travel consumption needs of tourists. These improvements in travel experiences will undoubtedly further promote the development of the country's tourism industry and help achieve its goals of increasing international tourists.
The aforementioned media reports also mentioned that in the second half of 2025, the Malaysia National Tourism Bureau will continue to deepen cooperation with Chinese tourism operators. The goal is not only to attract more Chinese tourists to visit and extend their stay, but more importantly, to actively promote closer cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries, helping to smoothly carry out the preparations for the "2026 Malaysia Tourism Year" and creating new opportunities for investment in Malaysia's tourism and hotel industries.
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