Malaysia Tourism Statistics - How Many Tourists Visit? (2023)

Page last updated: 20 August 2024

Malaysia, a Southeast Asian nation, offers a captivating blend of lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and bustling cities, enriched by a diverse cultural heritage and renowned for its hospitality.

Overview

How many people visit Malaysia each year?

Over 20.4 million international tourists visited Malaysia in 2023.¹

In 2019, Malaysia welcomed 26.1 million international visitors. 2014 observed the highest recorded visitors in history amounting to 27.4 million visits.

When the pandemic started in 2020, this number dropped by 84% to 4.3 million.

By 2021, Malaysia experienced a further 96% decline in international tourism with an estimated 130,000 visitors.

Inbound tourism rose to 10.07 million visitors in 2022 and continued to recover in 2023 with 20.14 million visitors.

How much do tourists spend in Malaysia every year?

International tourists spent over THB1.09 billion during trips to Malaysia in 2023.

Inbound tourist expenditure in Malaysia generated RM 86.1 billion in 2019.
This number decreased to RM 12.7 billion in 2020 due to coronavirus travel restrictions and fewer international visitors. This further dropped by 98% in 2021 to RM 240 million.

In 2022, international tourism receipts increased, amounting to RM 28.2 billion.

International tourism revenue recovered with RM 71.3 billion in 2023, 17% less than 2019 (pre-pandemic).

Which country visits Malaysia the most?

The leading source of foreign tourists to Malaysia is Singapore, closely followed by Indonesia, Thailand, China, and Brunei.

In 2023, Singapore was the top source of international visitors to Malaysia, accounting for 8.3 million visits.

Indonesia also contributed significantly, with 3.1 million tourists.

Thailand accounted for 1.5 million international visits.

How many people visited Malaysia in 2023?

In 2023, Malaysia welcomed a total of 231 million visitors, with 20.1 million being international tourists and 210.9 million domestic travellers. This represented a 13% decrease from the peak pre-pandemic year of 2019.

How much does tourism expenditure generate for Malaysia’s economy?

In 2023, Malaysia generated RM 156.20 billion in tourism revenue with RM 71.3 million being international revenue and RM 84.9 billion in domestic tourism.

How much is the average spending per capita in Malaysia?

The average tourist spending amounted to RM 3,540.32 in 2023.

In 2021 and 2022, the average spending per capita amounted to RM 2,802.9 and RM 3,300.4 respectively.

How long do visitors stay in Malaysia?

In 2023, tourists generally spent 2.45 nights exploring Malaysia’s popular cities and attractions.
In 2020 and 2021, the average nightly stay was 1.9 and 2.2 nights. By 2019, average stays increased to 2.5 nights.²

Economic Impact – Malaysia Tourism Statistics

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) highlighted the importance of the travel tourism industry, showcasing new highs in GDP contribution, sector employment, and visitor spending.³

In 2023, Malaysia’s travel and tourism sector experienced a substantial rebound, growing by 97.8% to MYR 157 billion. This represented 8.6% of the nation’s total economic output.

Despite the strong recovery, the sector’s economic contribution was still 19.8% below the levels seen in 2019.

The sector also boosted employment, with nearly 2.3 million jobs, reflecting a 10.8% year-on-year increase and matching the employment levels of 2019.

What are the peak months to visit Malaysia?

Based on Malaysia’s tourism statistics, the peak tourist months in 2023, driven by monthly international visitors, are December, July, September, August, and November.

In 2023, December experienced the highest visitor numbers amounting to 2.32 million due to the year-end holidays and Christmas celebrations, offering festive activities and shopping deals.

July had 1.82 million tourists visiting for mid-year holidays and various events.

September attracted 1.77 million visitors because of Malaysia Day festivities, marking the formation of Malaysia with cultural shows and events.

August drew 1.72 million tourists for the Merdeka (Independence Day) celebrations, featuring parades and cultural events.

November attracted 1.71 million visitors for pre-holiday shopping and the start of festive celebrations.

How popular is Malaysia as a tourist destination?

Malaysia has recently been recognised as the “Most Loved Country in Asia”, overtaking well-known tourist destinations such as Thailand, Japan, and South Korea.

Read more about Thailand, Japan and South Korea here.
In 2023, Malaysia ranked 3rd as the “Most Visited Country in Asia.”

Malaysia Travel Statistics – International & Domestic Tourism

2023 was Malaysia’s recovery year with its tourism matching the trend of both domestic and international tourists in the pre-pandemic years.

Pre-Pandemic Period (2018-2019): Malaysia experienced steady growth in both international and domestic visitors, peaking in 2019 with 265.2 million visitors.

Pandemic Impact (2020-2021): The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted tourism, causing a 48% drop in visitor numbers in both segments.

Despite the pandemic, domestic tourism showed more resilience compared to international tourism, reflecting reliance on local travel during global disruptions.

What are the main reasons people visit Malaysia?

Shopping, leisure, visiting friends and relatives, business trips, and other personal reasons are the main reasons why international tourists visited Malaysia in 2021.

Visitors came to Malaysia primarily for shopping (36.4%), drawn by Malaysia’s diverse retail options and attractive deals.
Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) made up a significant portion of visitors (24.2%).

Tourists also visited Malaysia for leisure (22.1%).

10.3% of visitors to Malaysia sought medical and wellness services.

In 2021, 5.4% of visitors came to Malaysia to attend various events, including conferences, exhibitions, and festivals.

1.2% of visitors travelled to Malaysia for business purposes, such as meetings and government work.

A minimal number of visitors amounting to 0.4% visited Malaysia for religious purposes, including pilgrimages and spiritual activities.

Which cities are the most visited in Malaysia?

The below were the most popular cities that attracted millions of visitors in 2021.

Johor attracted 1.8 million visitors due to its proximity to Singapore and attractions like Legoland Malaysia, Johor Bahru City, and its beautiful islands.

Perak had 1.4 million visitors, drawn by its historical sites, natural caves, and the famous Lost World of Tambun theme park.

Pahang welcomed 1.3 million visitors in 2021. Tourists travelled to Pahang for its lush highlands, such as Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands, known for cool weather and scenic views.

Negeri Sembilan, famous for its cultural heritage, serene beaches, and the royal town of Seri Menanti, had 1.2 million visitors.

Selangor, home to the bustling city of Petaling Jaya, Sunway Lagoon theme park, and numerous shopping and entertainment centres received 1.2 million visitors.

Asia Travel Statistics

Other Travel Statistics by Country (New Published)

References

TM: Number of Visitors in Malaysia ↩︎
KPI MT: Average Length of Stay in Malaysia ↩︎
WTTC: Economic Impact of Tourism in Malaysia ↩︎