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Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director-General (Promotion) Mohd Akbal Setia said the strong performance reflects Malaysia's continued appeal as a tourism destination and underscores the importance of strengthening international tourism partnerships, The Sun Malaysia reported.
Mohd Akbal said tourism is an important economic driver, contributing more than 15% to Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP), with its benefits extending across the tourism value chain to support businesses and livelihoods, from hotels and e-hailing services to local artisans and family-run restaurants, Malay Mail reported.
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| Tourists pose in front of Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo by Reuters |
Thailand, traditionally the region's favorite, ranked second after welcoming 20.93 million foreign tourists in the first eight months of 2026, down 3.08% from the same period last year, Bangkok Post reported.
Vietnam followed Thailand with nearly 16 million foreign tourists in the first quarter of 2026, increasing 14.4% from the same period in 2025 and equivalent to 63.6% of the full-year target, according to the General Statistics Office.
Malaysia has emerged as one of Southeast Asia's tourism bright spots in recent years, supported by flexible visa policies and infrastructure improvements.
It received a record 42.2 million foreign visitors in 2025 and targets 47 million this year.
