KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's domestic visitors rose 11.5 percent year on year to 290.1 million in 2025, official data showed Tuesday.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that domestic tourism expenditure for the year amounted to 121 billion ringgit (30.86 billion U.S. dollars), recording a 13.3 percent year-on-year growth.
"Overall, Malaysia's domestic tourism sector continues to function as a key pillar of economic growth, supported by rising visitor numbers, higher tourism expenditure, and resilient performance across tourism-related industries," said the DOSM.
According to the department, the sustained growth observed in 2025 underscores the sector's important role in strengthening domestic demand, supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and enhancing overall economic resilience.
As for the fourth quarter, the number of domestic visitors grew 10.8 percent year on year to 74 million.
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the number of domestic visitors climbed by 2 percent compared to the third quarter of 2025.
In line with higher travel activity, domestic tourism expenditure amounted to 32.6 billion ringgit during the fourth quarter, an increase of 12.4 percent year-on-year.
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the expenditure rose by 9.1 percent compared to the previous quarter. (1 ringgit equals 0.26 U.S. dollars) ■
