KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia has officially emerged as the most visited country in Southeast Asia this year, welcoming 28.2 million international tourists in the first eight months of 2025 — a 14.5 percent year-on-year increase.
The Malaysian Ministry of Tourism said the surge reflects the strong and sustained post-pandemic recovery momentum of the tourism sector.
“These figures indicate positive and consistent growth in international tourist arrivals to Malaysia,” the ministry said in a statement quoted by The Star, Friday, October 10, 2025.
This impressive achievement places Malaysia ahead of Thailand, which received 21.8 million foreign visitors during the same period — a 7 percent decline compared to last year. According to Bangkok Post, the drop was linked to rising security concerns and political instability in the country.
Visa-Free Policy and Aggressive Promotion Drive Growth
Tourism analysts attribute Malaysia’s success to liberal visa policies, improved infrastructure, and massive international tourism campaigns. The government has also extended visa-free entry for Chinese tourists for another five years, with the possibility of renewal until 2036 — a move that has significantly boosted arrivals.
In 2024, Malaysia recorded 38 million international tourist arrivals, up 31.1 percent from 2023 and 8.3 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Indonesia Still Lags Behind
Meanwhile, Indonesia continues to trail its regional rivals. From January to August 2025, the country welcomed 10.04 million foreign tourists — the highest figure since the pandemic but still far below Malaysia and Thailand.
With its steady growth momentum and strong tourism policies, Malaysia is now regarded as the “tourism champion of Southeast Asia”, setting a benchmark for open visa policies and globally connected destination marketing. (AT Network)
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