Asia's 'most loved destination' records over 16 million foreign tourists in 8 months

By Hoang Phong October 14, 2024 | 07:38 pm PT

Tourists pass by Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Jan. 31, 2020. Photo by Reuters

Malaysia, voted Asia's most-loved destination by the American financial website Insider Monkey, welcomed 16.45 million foreign tourists between January and August, marking a nearly 30% year-on-year increase.

Singapore was the largest source of visitors during this period, contributing 5.77 million arrivals, followed by Indonesia with 2.4 million and China with 2.29 million, according to Malaysia's Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, as cited by The Edge Malaysia.

Thailand ranked fourth with 1.09 million visitors, while Brunei rounded out the top five with 785,548 arrivals.

Malaysia has set a target of 27.3 million foreign arrivals this year.

Renowned for its diverse mix of cultures, Malaysia surpassed both Singapore and Thailand to become the most-loved country in Asia, according to Insider Monkey's survey conducted in June.

To further boost tourism, Malaysia also eased visa requirements for visitors from major economies like China and India.

In the same eight-month period, Thailand recorded 23 million international tourists, while Vietnam welcomed 11.2 million.