MALAYSIA EYES 4.3 MLN INDONESIAN VISITORS IN 2025, 4.7 MLN IN 2026 -- TOURISM MALAYSIA

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

SURABAYA (East Java), April 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is targeting over 4.3 million Indonesian tourist arrivals in 2025, banking on strong regional travel demand and expanded air connectivity, with projections pointing to a further rise to 4.7 million visitors in 2026.

The target, unveiled by Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin during a roadshow to promote the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, represents a renewed effort to boost arrivals from one of Malaysia’s most significant source markets.

As of February this year, over 770,000 Indonesians had already travelled to Malaysia, a nearly 15 per cent increase versus the same period in 2024, driven by strong bilateral ties and continued interest in Malaysia as a holiday destination.

“Indonesia remains our second-largest tourism source. We see this as a sign of strong post-pandemic recovery and growing interest in Malaysia’s offerings,” said Yeoh in a media briefing here on Thursday.

Air links between the two countries are also at a high, with 591 direct flights each week, more than 106,000 seats are available, making Malaysia more accessible than ever for Indonesian travellers, he said.

To further encourage travel, he explained that Tourism Malaysia, an agency under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, is offering a range of grants and value-added packages designed to reduce costs and improve convenience.

These include the International and Charter Flight Matching Grant (GSPC), collaborative campaigns with online travel platforms, and incentives for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) groups.

Medical tourism is also a key focus, with attractive packages from Malaysian hospitals being promoted to make health check-ups and procedures more accessible for Indonesian patients.

“We’re highlighting Malaysia’s vibrant theme parks, diverse culinary trails, and exciting shopping destinations, all boosted by nationwide sales events like the Malaysia Super Sale and Year-End Sale, with strong support from retailers, hotels, and airlines,” said Yeoh.

Chairman of the Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (ASPPI) in East Java, Eko Mujiono, who welcomed the initiatives, stated that the local travel industry was ready to support the push.

“We are ready to collaborate in increasing the number of Indonesian tourists visiting Malaysia, working through our network across East Java, including the promotion of medical check-up packages. With up to 11 direct flights a day, the potential is there,” he said.

Currently, there are up to nine daily flights to Kuala Lumpur from Surabaya, with additional routes to destinations such as Johor and Penang, further enhancing accessibility.

Yeoh was joined on the roadshow by Tourism Malaysia Southeast Asia International Promotion Division director Salinda Sany and Tourism Malaysia Jakarta director Hairi Mohd Yakzan.

-- BERNAMA