VM2026 is off to a good start with tourist arrivals already beating Thailand, making us the top destination in the region. Welcoming tourists with a smile and service can only make things better.
IT certainly feels good that Malaysia is now the number one tourist destination in Asean with record-breaking arrivals, overtaking Thailand as the region’s most visited country.
In the first quarter of 2025, we had over 10.1 million foreign tourists, with Malaysia seeing a 10% rise in international arrivals year-on-year, generating RM27.5bil in tourism revenue.
That is a 24% increase, with the average spending per visit hitting RM4,300, according to reports.
The challenge now for all of us is to maintain that pole position as we kick off Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026).
Promoting tourism isn’t just the work of people like tourist guides, hoteliers, restaurant owners and drivers — it is the job of every Malaysian, and we should all see ourselves as ambassadors.
These include our Immigration officers, who never seem to put on a smile at entry points, especially airports.
There are also Customs officers who shout at arriving tourists to place their luggage for inspection, especially at busy KLIA2.
Having travelled to 60 countries, I can vouch that many have the same attitude, but I have also experienced when officers smile and welcome me. It made such a big difference.
The immediate test for us will be from Oct 1, when China’s annual National Day “Golden Week” starts.
The one-week holiday is regarded as one of the world’s busiest travel periods.
It is an extended holiday for Chinese tourists because it combines public holidays and adjusted weekends, leading to a continuous week off until Oct 8 and more.
According to reports, in 2023, about 11.82 million cross-border trips were made during the combined Mid‑Autumn and National Day “Golden Week” (Sept 29-Oct 6), averaging 1.48 million border crossings per day – nearly 85% of the 2019 pre-pandemic level.
Last year, Chinese travellers made 7.59 million outbound trips during the October holiday – a 33% increase year-on-year, with the peak day for border crossings coming on Oct 5, with 2.035 million individuals crossing.
Malaysia is a preferred destination among the Chinese for many reasons, which our neighbours cannot match.
The visa-free policy, cultural affinities, affordability, unparalleled destination, diversity and targeted marketing with continued government and industry support have made all this possible.
Over 40 countries have offered visa-free entrance to Chinese tourists because everyone recognises Chinese tourists as the world’s top spenders.
They reportedly spent US$196.5bil (RM829.4bil) internationally in 2023.
Malaysia is also just a short four-hour flight from major Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xian and Chongqing, with the same time zone.
Our hotels and transportation are excellent with good value for money, and it is certainly cheaper than Singapore or even Thailand, in some cases.
Chinese tourists also prefer not to use cash as it has almost disappeared in their country.
Digital payment integration, such as Alipay, Wechat Pay and automated Customs e-gates have helped.
They also feel welcome here as ethnic Chinese form a significant part of Malaysia’s multicultural society and Mandarin is widely spoken, with shared festivals, cuisine, and cultural touchstones.
The new set of younger Chinese tourists no longer comes by the busloads. They prefer to visit Malaysia at their own pace.
The environment and the seas are on their minds, which is why Sabah and Sarawak are top destinations.
They also enjoy our clean beaches and sea, but they cannot understand why Semporna town, the gateway to Sipadan, continues to be an eyesore and a massive waste dump.
Penang and Melaka are popular choices because of their heritage and cultural links to China, especially Hokkien-speaking Xiamen.
Let the numbers speak. According to reports, 3.7 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia in 2024, soaring +130% year-on-year, with January-September 2024 seeing 2.5 million Chinese arrivals, surpassing 2023 totals.
Malaysia is aiming for five million Chinese visitors in 2025, with tourism receipts from these travellers expected to reach RM30bil.
All this, however, is bad news for Thailand, which used to be the number one spot for Chinese travellers.
While the current political upheavals won’t worry China tourists, Thailand is facing a sharp decline in visitors from its most important tourism market.
A mix of safety concerns, rising travel costs, and changing traveller preferences is reportedly driving this dramatic shift.
Public confidence in Thailand took a major dive earlier this year after the high-profile kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing near the Thailand-Myanmar border.
Wang was reportedly abducted by a criminal network linked to regional scam operations, prompting a media frenzy in China and a wave of trip cancellations.
It is said that Chinese social media platforms were flooded with calls to avoid Thailand, with hashtags warning against visiting the country trending for weeks.
The incident reportedly drew attention to the broader issue of scam networks and human trafficking operations along Thailand’s border regions – raising alarms about tourist safety.
It reinforced the message in a 2023 China-made movie, No More Bets, which explores the issue of Chinese citizens being trafficked to South-East Asia and forced into online fraud.
The movie is said to be based on real-life events.
Thailand is doing everything to welcome the Chinese, but the damage has been done.
There was more bad news for Thailand. Reports of Thai durians containing Auramine O, a yellow dye and a chemical with potential health risks, being exported to China became major news.
Thailand’s loss has become Malaysia’s gain, with many opting to come here instead.
And VM2026 aims to attract 35.6 million tourists – a bulk of them from China – with a target of RM147.1bil in tourism revenue.
Let’s make this happen together with our smiles and friendliness.
