Asia's most loved destination named one of world's friendliest countries

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia trailed only Thailand (9th) and the Philippines (19th), according to the rankings based on a global survey of over 17,000 people worldwide conducted from March 22 to May 23, 2024.

Singapore ranked 24th and Indonesia at 33rd.

Vietnam ranked 35th, an improvement of nine places from last year.

Canada was named the world's friendliest country, followed by Spain and New Zealand.

Malaysia, known for its vibrant cultural diversity, attracted nearly 29 million international visitors last year, making it the most visited destination in Southeast Asia, thanks to its friendly visa policy.

Malaysia now waives visas for tourists from 162 countries and territories.

It has welcomed nearly 19 million foreign tourists as of September this year.

In February this year, Malaysia has been named as the second-friendliest country in Asia and 15th globally, according to a survey done by American finance website Insider Monkey.

In June, it was also named the most loved country in Asia in a survey conducted by the site.