Malaysia eyes 27.3 million foreign visitors this year

Illustrative image (Photo: travelandtourworld.com)

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Malaysia has set a target of welcoming 27.3 million foreign tourists in 2024, riding on the wave of optimism fueled by a series of strategic initiatives and the success of attracting over 20 million foreign tourists last year.

Director-General of Tourism Malaysia Ammar Abd Ghapar expressed confidence in reaching this year’s target, attributing it to the government’s supportive measures such as the charter flight matching grant incentive, the Visa Liberalisation programme, and enhanced tourism promotion activities overseas.

A significant boost to tourist arrivals is expected from the Visa Liberalisation programme, which has already shown promising results. Since December 1, 2023, Malaysian authorities have allowed visa-free entry for Chinese and Indian nationals, leading to a substantial increase in tourist arrivals from these countries.

The announcement of visa-free travel for Chinese travelers has significantly spurred enquiries and bookings, with Trip.com reporting a 53.9% increase in inbound travel to Malaysia for the Lunar New Year in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Tourism Malaysia aims to attract about 200,000 tourists from China each month, underscoring the importance of this market in achieving their annual target./.

VNA