Domestic tourism expenditure in Malaysia reached an unprecedented high of RM121 billion in 2025, marking a significant increase of RM14.3 billion compared to the RM106.7 billion recorded the previous year.
Chief Statistician Uzir Mahidin stated that domestic tourism receipts saw a year-on-year rise of 12.4%, reaching RM32.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025. This robust performance throughout the year was largely attributed to increased travel activity among Malaysians.
Peak periods drive spending growth
The surge in travel was particularly evident during peak seasons, such as school holidays and various festive periods. Uzir noted that this sustained demand translated into higher spending across several key segments, including accommodation, food and beverages, transport, and retail.
Data for the fourth quarter of 2025 showed that the total number of domestic tourists reached 74 million, representing a 10.8% increase year-on-year. For the full year of 2025, the total number of visitors rose by 11.5% to 290.1 million, compared to 260.1 million visitors in the preceding year.
Resilient performance across subsectors
The transport sector also reflected this growth, with airports recording a 17.9% year-on-year increase in domestic arrivals during the final quarter of 2025. Additionally, retail sales of automotive fuel saw a 7.1% rise during the same period.
The accommodation subsector remained a strong performer, with revenue expanding by 14.7% year-on-year in the fourth quarter. Hotel occupancy rates showed improvement across all categories, indicating a broad recovery and growth in the hospitality industry.
Uzir emphasized that the domestic tourism sector remains a fundamental pillar of national economic growth. This is supported by the consistently rising visitor numbers, increased expenditure, and the resilient performance observed across all tourism-related industries.
