MALAYSIA’S tourism industry is often judged by headline arrival figures. But are we comparing like with like?
In recent years, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) has increasingly reported international visitor arrivals, a figure that combines both tourists and excursionists.
While both are legitimate measures, using them interchangeably without clarification can create confusion and lead to misleading conclusions about the industry’s performance.
The distinction is important. A tourist spends at least one night in Malaysia, while an excursionist leaves on the same day. Although both contribute to the economy, their spending patterns and economic impact differ significantly.
Malaysia’s international visitor arrivals reached 42.2 million in 2025. However, this headline figure comprised 26.6 million tourist arrivals and 15.6 million excursionists. Presenting only the combined total without explaining its composition risks giving the impression that all 42.2 million were overnight visitors.
This distinction also affects how tourism performance is assessed over time.
Malaysia recorded 26.6 million tourist arrivals in 2025, slightly above the 26.1 million recorded before the pandemic in 2019. However, the figure remains below the country’s peak of 27.4 million tourist arrivals in 2014.
The difference between tourist and visitor arrivals has also created confusion in media reporting.
A report published on July 22 stated that foreign tourist arrivals reached 10.6 million during the first five months of 2026, before comparing that figure with the government’s target of 47 million international visitors for the year.
The comparison, however, was between two different measurements. Tourist arrivals should have been compared with tourist targets, while international visitor targets include both tourists and excursionists.
Similarly, another report published on June 10 stated that 17.5 million foreign tourists had visited Malaysia as of May. The figure actually referred to international visitor arrivals rather than tourist arrivals.
Such inconsistencies make it difficult for readers to accurately assess the industry’s performance and can inadvertently distort public understanding of tourism trends.
This issue also affects international comparisons.
Malaysia was consistently ranked among the world’s leading tourism destinations before the pandemic based on tourist arrivals reported to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (now UN Tourism).
As more countries adopt different reporting methodologies, including visitor arrivals instead of tourist arrivals, direct comparisons become increasingly difficult unless the underlying definitions are clearly explained.
Accurate statistics are essential for policymakers, investors, businesses and the travelling public.
Tourism data should therefore be presented with greater clarity, ensuring that tourists and excursionists are clearly distinguished and that comparisons are made using consistent measures.
Only then can Malaysia’s tourism performance be assessed fairly and meaningfully. ‒ July 23, 2026
YS Chan is a tourism, transport and training consultant.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
