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Malaysia welcomed a record 10.6 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2026, marking its strongest start to the year for tourism
According to Malay Mail, in a statement today, 13 May, Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the country received 10,647,200 international arrivals between January and March, a 5.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
The figure surpassed the previous first-quarter record of 10,102,972 arrivals in 2025 by roughly half a million visitors.
Tiong noted that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia had never crossed the 10 million mark in the first three months of the year.
He attributed the growth largely to strong travel demand during Chinese New Year, particularly from China, alongside expanded flight connectivity into the country
According to Tiong, Malaysia recorded its highest-ever monthly tourist arrivals in February, with 3,472,557 visitors — the first time monthly arrivals exceeded the three million mark.
He also said arrivals from China rose 25.2% year-on-year, making it the single biggest contributor to tourism growth this quarter, while visitors from Australia increased 11.4%.
Despite this, countries in ASEAN remained Malaysia's largest source market overall, with arrivals from the region increasing by more than 350,000 visitors. Key markets included Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines.
The growth was also supported by stronger air links, with 20 new scheduled international routes launched during the quarter. Tiong said 12 airlines added a total of 95 international flights per week into Malaysia, including new routes connecting more cities in China.
Malaysia also crossed another milestone when visitor arrivals from Europe exceeded 500,000 in the first quarter for the first time
Tiong said the ministry has been actively targeting European travellers as part of efforts to boost tourism receipts, as visitors from the region generally stay longer and spend more during their trips.
Of the 16 key European markets monitored by the ministry, 15 recorded growth in arrivals. Among the strongest-performing markets were Türkiye, which saw arrivals surge 77.3%, followed by Ukraine at 35.3% and Poland at 23.7%.
The top 10 countries visiting Malaysia in Q1 2026 are as follows:
- Singapore
- China
- Indonesia
- Thailand
- Brunei
- India
- South Korea
- Philippines
- Australia
- United Kingdom
Despite the strong performance, Tiong acknowledged that geopolitical tensions in the Middle East began affecting travel patterns towards the end of March
He said disruptions to fuel supply and changes to flight routes increased airline operating costs, contributing to higher ticket prices and some flight cancellations.
Still, he described Malaysia's overall first-quarter performance as encouraging.
He said the ministry would continue strengthening partnerships with international tourism and aviation players in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026.
