Malaysia leads Southeast Asia with 21 million visitors in early 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (MNTV) — Malaysia remained Southeast Asia’s most-visited country in the first half of 2026, recording 21.12 million international arrivals — up 2.5 percent from a year earlier, the outlet ftnNEWS reported.

The January-to-June total was also 17.7 percent above the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, indicating the country’s tourism recovery is on track, the Arts and Culture Ministry said.

Growth was driven by the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, stronger regional air links, and major events, with the ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations supplying 72.8 percent of arrivals.

Singapore remained the largest source market, up 4.4 percent, while emerging markets surged — Cambodia by 52.3 percent, Myanmar by 45.9 percent, and Laos by 25.4 percent.

Arrivals from Central Asia grew 23.3 percent and from East Asia 12.7 percent, with Chinese visitors continuing to benefit from eased visa rules.

Regional rivals also posted strong numbers, underscoring Southeast Asia’s tourism rebound: Thailand drew more than 18.5 million visitors from January to early August, though down 3.19 percent year-on-year, while Vietnam took in nearly 14 million in seven months, on track for a 25-million target for the year.