The boom in Malaysian tourism

The country has devised ways to recover the tourism sector after its pandemic-induced decline

Travel and tourism in Asia has been booming ever since the lifting of pandemic regulations. Travel newsletter Travel of Path reported thatMalaysia has returned, adding the potential of a massive increase in visitors this year after two years of the country’s closure along with the rest of the world.

Malaysia is expected to host up to 9.6 million guests this year, which is almost fourfold of the predicted 2.5 million from last year when the travel regulations were in place. During that time, health mandates were more strictly implemented, but regulations were lifted on 1st of August 2022, leading to the reopening of the border and tourism rebound.

Vietnam Plus acknowledged that the resumption of  leisure air travel across the globe has also prompted the reopening of businesses. With China gradually opening, as well, Malaysia is predicted to welcome a large surge of tourists since the country accounts for an estimated 12 percent of tourist arrivals during the reopening.

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Passenger traffic, on the other hand, is said to have an 85 percent recovery and is expected to grow stronger from 2024 onwards as soon as local airlines and carriers are able to rebuild and recover their fleets.

The airlines’ recoveries should come along quickly as the visa-on-arrival policy allowed by the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing would draw in even more tourists and visitors with its convenience, according to Selangor Journal. 

This is their strategy of keeping Malaysia competitive in the Southeast Asian tourism market. After the decline of tourism, the state government has been thinking of ways to further improve the tourism sector and move it forward. Until they come up with more options, the convenience of having visitors be able to obtain their visas upon arrival at the airport would be deemed as one of the main drivers.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].