Reopening borders: Strengthening domestic tourism in Malaysia is important

In Malaysia, there is an increase in demand for outdoor tours and experiences like this river cruise at Taman Negara in Pahang. — CHESTER CHIN/The Star

While it is true that domestic tourism alone may not be able to revive and sustain the industry in Malaysia, it is still a highly lucrative market segment. Stakeholders should think of more creative ways to spur the growth of domestic tourism here, even after the country’s borders have reopened and more international tourists are allowed in with minimal to zero quarantine mandates.

To give an example of just how big a potential domestic tourism is – or can be – in Malaysia, we can take a look at the success of the Langkawi Travel Bubble initiative, as well as a travel and leisure ecommerce platform’s business performance in 2021.