80.2% increase in Indian tourists to Malaysia in Q1 of 2024

Malaysia is boosting efforts to woo Indian tourists as the number of arrivals hit 80% increase in the first quarter of this year.

Tourism Malaysia director-general P Manoharan revealed that Malaysia recorded 80.2% increase in Indian tourist since January to April this year compared to the same period last year.

The number of Indian tourists shot up to 296,594 compared to 164,566 last year with Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands among the hotspots that attracted Indians.

They enjoy our city resorts and the shopping and cultural experiences. From theme parks and beaches to local culture and cuisine, we provide it all.

“And we have seen more of them venturing to Sabah and Sarawak,” Manoharan said, The Star reported.

The hike in the numbers also came after Malaysia announced visa-free entry for Indian citizens staying upto 30 days.

The visa exemption is valid for the period beginning from Dec 1 2023 to Dec 31 2024.

Efforts undertaken

Manoharan also revealed the efforts undertaken by Tourism Malaysia.

“Tourism Malaysia kicked off its first roadshow in India, alongside the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) across five cities from Jan 30 to Feb 7 2023.

“The roadshow started in Chennai, followed by Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

A second roadshow was also held last year in Amritsar, Lucknow, Nagpur, Pune, Goa and Kochi.

Strategic partnerships with airlines companies Scoot and Indigo and travel companies MakeMyTrip and Thomas Cook have been forged to ensure a steady arrival of Indian tourists.

The rise in the number of arrivals also saw a hike in the average spending.

There was 13.62% increase in the first quarter this year compared to last year.

Total receipts in the first quarter this year recorded RM1,105.78 million compared to RM506.12 in the first quarter of 2023.

This is an increase of 118.48%.