KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's domestic tourism sustained its growth momentum in the first quarter of 2026, with the number of domestic visitors rising 7.2 percent from a year earlier to 74.7 million, official data showed on Wednesday.
The growth is attributed to increased travel during the Chinese New Year and Eid al-Fitr festive periods, which typically boost domestic trips for family visits, holidays and leisure activities, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said in a statement.
The festive seasons drove stronger travel demand and supported higher visitor movements across the country, contributing to broader tourism activity during the quarter, it said.
Compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, domestic visitor numbers increased 0.9 percent, indicating continued stability in travel demand.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism expenditure rose 15.8 percent year-on-year to 34 billion ringgit (8.21 billion U.S. dollars), suggesting higher travel activity and average spending per visitor.
On a quarterly basis, tourism expenditure increased 4.5 percent, underscoring the resilience of tourism-related economic activities.
Overall, domestic tourism remained a key contributor to Malaysia's economy during the quarter, supported by higher visitor numbers, stronger travel activity and increased spending, it said. ■