PUTRAJAYA, 1 April 2025 – Malaysia extended a warm welcome to both domestic and international tourists with grand Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations held at five major airports today – Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 & Terminal 2, Penang International Airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, and Kuching International Airport, in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
The celebrations, officiated by YBhg. Dato’ Shaharuddin Abu Sohot, Secretary General of Ministry Of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) at KLIA Terminal 1, and attended by YBrs. Encik Chua Choon Hwa, Deputy Secretary General of MOTAC, YBhg Datuk (Dr.) Yasmin Mahmood, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, and YBrs Encik Samuel Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia showcased Malaysia’s rich traditions and harmonious multicultural society. Visitors were presented with festive goodies at the Arrival Hall, while guests were invited to partake in the tradition of sharing Hari Raya Aidilfitri delicacies, reflecting Malaysia’s warm hospitality and the cultural heritage that defines Malaysia, Truly Asia.
The atmosphere buzzed with captivating cultural performances, with a special Aidilfitri-themed showcase. The VM2026 mascots, Wira and Manja, also made a delightful appearance, charming visitors with their vibrant presence. Adding to the excitement was the traditional “kacau dodol” session in preparation for a Malay sweet delicacy and the symbolic “buka lemang” gimmick – a demonstration of the opening of lemang, a glutinous rice dish cooked in bamboo.
Malaysia’s tourism sector continues to score strong recovery and growth. In 2024, Malaysia logged 38 million visitor arrivals, a significant 31.1% increase compared to 29 million arrivals in 2023. This also surpasses the pre-pandemic record of 35 million arrivals in 2019 by 8.6%. The top visitor-generating markets were Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, and Chinese Taipei. The total visitor receipts reached RM106.78 billion in 2024, reflecting a substantial growth of 43.7% over 2023 and exceeding the 2019 level by 20%.
This momentum continued into January 2025, with a 54.4% surge in visitor arrivals, reaching 3.8 million compared to 2024 and a 24.4% increase compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2019. Singapore remained the top source market, contributing 1.7 million arrivals, followed by China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei.
