Malaysia Surging Ahead of Regional Peers – Visa Reforms and Tourism Push Make It Southeast Asia’s Fastest‑Growing Visitor Hub

Published on December 1, 2025

Official data show that Malaysia’s tourism industry rebounded strongly in 2024. The country recorded 37.96 million visitor arrivals during January–December 2024, an 8.3 % increase over the pre‑pandemic year of 2019 and 31.1 % more arrivals than 2023[1]. After a full year of border reopening, Malaysia not only matched its pre‑Covid visitor volume but comfortably surpassed it. The tourism surge was particularly notable from markets targeted by the government’s visa initiatives: visitor numbers from India surpassed 1.009 million between January and November 2024, 71.7 % higher than 2023 and 47 % above 2019 levels[2], reflecting the success of the free‑visa policy for Indian nationals introduced in December 2023. These results encouraged officials to aim for a still higher target of 45 million visitors in 2025[3].

Visa liberalisation drives demand

Malaysia’s surge was enabled by a series of visa reforms:

• December 2023 – Malaysia and China introduced a mutual 30‑day visa‑free entry for ordinary passport holders, allowing Chinese citizens to stay up to 30 days and Malaysians to enjoy similar privileges in China[4].
• December 2023 – A free‑visa policy for Indian nationals was introduced. By November 2024 it had drawn over 1 million Indian visitors, a 71.7 % year‑on‑year increase[2].
• April 2025 – The Visa Liberalisation Plan for Chinese visitors was extended for five more years. The plan allows Chinese tourists to stay up to 90 days without a visa and is accompanied by a joint visa‑exemption arrangement for Malaysians visiting China[4].

By reducing barriers for key markets, the government stimulated demand while encouraging airlines to expand capacity. Improved air connectivity to India and China was complemented by marketing campaigns and partnership programmes. Officials emphasised digital marketing, participation in overseas roadshows and support for events such as the Malaysia Cultural Festival to maintain momentum.

Momentum Continues into 2025

Early‑2025 figures

The recovery continued in 2025. Official statistics reveal that tourist arrivals (stay visitors) reached 8.36 million between January and April 2025, up 10.5 % from the same period in 2024[5]. When excursionists (day‑trippers) are included, visitor arrivals totalled 13.38 million, representing a 21 % increase compared with 2019 and 17.2 % growth compared with 2024[6]. Singapore and China were the biggest source markets for this period, together accounting for nearly three million visitors, while Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei provided substantial inflows[7]. In just four months, Malaysia attracted more visitors than many neighbouring countries received in much longer periods.

Mid‑year surge

Momentum accelerated during the year. In August 2025 the tourism authority reported that visitor arrivals passed 28.2 million in the first eight months – a 14.5 % year‑on‑year increase[8]. This growth was broad‑based: Singapore accounted for 10.29 million tourists between January and July (a 25.5 % increase), Indonesia 2.20 million (+8.2 %), China 2.18 million (+35.6 %) and India 0.81 million (+26.6 %)[9]. These figures demonstrate that visa liberalisation measures and promotional campaigns translated into tangible travel demand across multiple markets.

Another mid‑year review announced that 24.5 million visitors were recorded between January and July 2025, 16.8 % more than the 21 million visitors in the same period of 2024[10]. A separate update noted that after January–August 2025 the cumulative total of 28.2 million visitors already exceeded the government’s original annual target, prompting plans to raise the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 goal above 35.6 million visitors[11]. With more than four months remaining in 2025, Malaysia was on track to surpass 40 million arrivals.

How Malaysia Compares with Regional Competitors

What Sets Malaysia Apart

1. Aggressive visa liberalisation – Malaysia implemented broad visa exemptions for key markets (China and India) and later extended the scheme. Visitors from China may stay up to 30 days, and a reciprocal 90‑day exemption agreement further facilitated travel[4]. These measures, coupled with free‑visa entry for Indian citizens, sharply reduced administrative barriers.
2. Targeted marketing and high‑value focus – Officials directed promotional efforts toward high‑value travellers while maintaining volume growth. Advertising budgets emphasised digital channels and social media, and the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign included roadshows, cultural events and partnerships. The tourism authority even highlighted Muslim‑friendly tourism products and supported community‑based homestays[9].
3. Strong cross‑border connectivity – The majority of visitors arrive overland from Singapore or by air from regional hubs. In early 2025 the land border at Johor Bahru handled over five million visitor arrivals, while Kuala Lumpur’s airports handled more than three million passenger movements[17]. Low‑cost carriers and expanded routes to secondary cities in China and India boosted accessibility.
4. Diverse tourism products – Malaysia promoted new ecotourism and cultural experiences, such as the Sarawak Delta geopark package, which forms part of the country’s UNESCO bid and includes 42 curated itineraries. The package launch coincided with an update that visitor arrivals had passed 28.2 million in August, highlighting how product development supports national targets[18].

Implications for the Region

Malaysia’s results underscore the efficacy of coordinated policy, marketing and infrastructure. By mid‑2025, Malaysia had already drawn more visitors than Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia over the same period, despite those countries’ own campaigns and visa waivers. Thailand’s visitor numbers fell compared with 2024, demonstrating that visa‑free access alone does not guarantee growth. Vietnam recorded strong percentage growth but still attracted fewer than 16 million visitors, and Indonesia’s 11.4 million arrivals remain well below Malaysia’s early‑year totals[12][13][14]. Singapore, the traditional regional leader, welcomed 16.5 million visitors in 2024 and will likely finish 2025 below Malaysia’s total[15].

These comparisons illustrate that Malaysia’s comprehensive approach – blending visa liberalisation with targeted marketing, improved connectivity and product innovation – has made it Southeast Asia’s fastest‑growing visitor hub. With the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign set to capitalise on this momentum, the country is poised to cement its position as the region’s tourism leader.

References

1. 2024 Tourism Malaysia Key Performance Indicators report – official data on visitor arrivals and growth[1].
2. Tourism Malaysia infographic “Visitor Performance to Malaysia 2025 (January–April 2025)” – data on tourist and visitor arrivals by mode of transport and country[5][6].
3. Ministry press release on visa liberalisation extension for Chinese visitors (April 2025)[4].
4. Tourism authority press release on Indian visitor arrivals (December 2024)[2].
5. Official statement that Malaysia aimed for 45 million visitors in 2025[3].
6. BERNAMA report on promotional focus and tourist arrivals by market (August 2025)[9].
7. Malaysia Cultural Festival speech reporting 24.5 million visitors (September 2025)[10].
8. Tourism authority update on 14.5 % year‑on‑year growth and 28.2 million visitors as of August 2025[8].
9. BERNAMA article noting the government’s intent to raise Visit Malaysia Year 2026 target after strong results[11].
10. Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports statistics for January–September 2025[12].
11. Vietnam National Statistics Office update on international visitors (January–September 2025)[13].
12. Indonesia Statistics (BPS) release on foreign tourist arrivals (January–September 2025)[14].
13. Singapore Tourism Board media release on 2024 international visitor arrivals and tourism receipts[15][16].