Malaysia's foreign tourist arrivals up 20.4pct from from Jan to May this year
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said Singapore remained the largest source market, contributing 8.34 million visitors, a 26.5 per cent increase from last year.
Indonesia ranked second with 1.82 million visitors, up 10.3 per cent, followed by China with 1.81 million, representing the highest growth rate among all markets at 38.8 per cent.
"Thailand contributed 1.06 million visitors, a 5.2 per cent increase, while arrivals from India grew by 32 per cent to 664,811 visitors," he said in a written parliamentary reply.
Tiong was responding to Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh), who inquired about the breakdown of foreign tourists to Malaysia from January to June this year, compared to last year, and the projected breakdown of foreign tourists for the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 programme.
He said long-haul markets also showed strong performance, with Australia and the United Kingdom posting arrivals of 198,968 and 185,197 respectively.
Tiong said the numbers proved the effectiveness of government initiatives, including the Visa Liberalisation Plan, targeted support and incentives for industry players, and high-impact promotional campaigns.
"These efforts include digital promotions and strategic collaborations with online platforms and airlines, which have helped position Malaysia as a top tourism destination in the region."
Tiong said the ministry is now working towards the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign, with a target of 47 million foreign visitors.
"To achieve this, we will focus on key high-potential markets such as Central Asia, the Middle East, Asean, Europe and Oceania."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Padu to be used for targeted RON95 subsidy implementation
KUALA LUMPUR: The first detailed application of the Central Database Hub (Padu) will be for implementing targeted subsidies for RON95 recipients, pending its full rollout. Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, who has assumed the duties and functions of the economy minister, said the government is currently focused on utilising the latest data to enhance service delivery. "Currently, PADU's use is still limited to the specific needs of government agencies. We have received and approved nine requests from various agencies, which are using the data to refine their policies. "The implementation of targeted subsidies aims to serve as a reference for RON95 subsidy recipients. I believe the first detailed use will be implemented for that (RON95 subsidy rationalisation). We are waiting for the RON95 subsidy to proceed," Amir Hamzah, who is also the Second Finance Minister, said in the Dewan Rakyat today. He was responding to a supplementary question from Aminolhuda Hassan (PH–Seri Gading) regarding the full utilisation of Padu. On the issue of falsifying information in Padu to obtain subsidies, Amir Hamzah said the government takes this matter seriously. "When we open Padu for re-validation, this process will request validation of existing data. "If there are discrepancies, the government will ensure that the verified data is used," he said. Meanwhile, Amir Hamzah also said 204 agencies have implemented data sharing and integrated 30.4 million individual profiles into Padu. These profiles, he said, contain information related to demographics, locality, socio-economics, occupation, income, education, vehicle ownership, poverty status and received aid. To promote data-driven decision-making, he said, a Padu data-sharing guideline was created and distributed to all ministries and agencies in February. "Briefing sessions for ministries, state government agencies and local authorities were conducted from February to June to enhance data understanding. "To date, nine applications from various agencies have been approved to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policies and the digitalisation of services," he said.
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
BNPL providers must assess affordability under new Consumer Credit Act
KUALA LUMPUR: Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) providers will be required to conduct affordability assessments before extending credit to ensure that borrowers can repay loans without falling into financial hardship. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the requirement is part of responsible lending practices under the upcoming Consumer Credit Act 2025 (CCA), which will establish a comprehensive regulatory framework to oversee credit providers and non-bank credit service providers. This includes conducting affordability assessments before extending credit, ensuring fair contract terms, imposing transparent and reasonable fees, and adhering to professional debt collection standards. "In this regard, assessing the ability to take on debt is an important requirement that BNPL companies must comply with before offering credit. "This is necessary to ensure that borrowers, including the younger generation, can repay the money borrowed without experiencing serious financial stress and eventually falling into a debt trap," he told the Dewan Rakyat today. He was responding to the queries by Young Syefura Othman (PH–Bentong), who asked about the measures taken by the government to regulate the BNPL system, which has now reached transactions worth RM7.1 billion, to prevent the younger generation from falling into uncontrollable debt. Amir also said the Consumer Credit Commission (CCC) will monitor BNPL providers' compliance to ensure they uphold responsible lending practices. "If there is any non-compliance that harms credit consumers, the CCC will have the authority to take appropriate regulatory and enforcement action," he said. He added that the commission's supervisory approach prioritises consumer protection, focusing on fair treatment, transparency, and the development of a responsible credit market. "In cases of non-compliance, enforcement may include administrative action, civil or criminal proceedings, or compound offers." The CCC will also issue regulatory standards that BNPL companies must comply with, including licensing requirements, conduct rules, and governance criteria. "This includes ensuring that board members and senior management are fit and proper, and that companies meet minimum financial thresholds," he said. He added that the government also emphasised the importance of financial literacy to help Malaysians make informed decisions and avoid excessive reliance on BNPL schemes, which could lead to unsustainable debt.
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Sarawak waiting for details of tourism zones, says state minister
Sarawak state minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the state's tourism strategy was already proven successful, with tourism receipts exceeding RM1 billion every month. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Sarawak is awaiting clarification from the federal government over special tourism investment zones announced under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), said state minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. He said Sarawak has not been formally briefed on its implementation in the state, the Dayak Daily reported. 'At the moment, I have to admit that I am quite in the dark myself,' Karim was quoted as saying. Karim, who is the state minister for tourism, creative industry and performing arts, said: 'This has been initiated by the federal government. I'm still trying to understand where exactly these tourism zones are, as far as Sarawak is concerned. 'If the tourism investment zones mentioned include areas like Mulu, Niah, the Kuching Delta, and the Rainforest World Music Festival, then we are indirectly on the same track, it just hasn't been discussed in more detail,' Bernama quoted him as saying. 'We are ready to cooperate. The important thing is that there's no overlap, but rather we mutually strengthen the efforts that are being and will be carried out,' he said. The special tourism investment zones were announced on Thursday by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when tabling the 13MP. He said they would be located in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Sarawak. Anwar said the zones would be jointly developed by the state governments and private sector in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026. Karim said Sarawak had been actively promoting many of its destinations even without the 'imaginary zoning' that the federal tourism ministry had come up with. 'But for now, we will continue doing what we have been doing all this while.' He said the state's current tourism strategy had already been proven to be successful, with tourism receipts exceeding RM1 billion every month. Sarawak had more or less achieved its target of five million visitors this year, he said.
