Malaysia sees Chinese tourist boom in the offing after pandemic slump
Al Jazeera
Kuala Lumpur targets record 5 million Chinese visitors in 2024 as it hopes to accelerate post-pandemic recovery.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Chinese tourists are returning to Malaysia en masse after the COVID-19 pandemic slump, industry figures say, amid expectations arrivals could reach pre-pandemic levels this year following the introduction of visa-free entry.
Mint Leong, president of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, estimated that arrivals rose to 60,000 in January, up from about 45,000 last year, and as high as 120,000 in February during the Lunar New Year period.
“Chinese New Year will be the best arrivals post-COVID-19,” Leong told Al Jazeera.
Leong said he expects Chinese arrivals to reach 3.5-4.5 million this year, with the average tourist spending 5,000-6,000 Malaysian ringgits ($1,000-$1,200) during their trip.
Before the pandemic, China was the third-largest source of tourists after Singapore and Indonesia, sending 3.1 million visitors in 2019.
