KOTA KINABALU: Both domestic and international travellers were greeted with Raya cheer as they walked out of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) arrival hall on Monday.
Organised by Tourism Malaysia, the event showcased Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage, with each traveller receiving festive souvenirs and traditional Hari Raya delicacies.
Guests were also treated to captivating cultural performances, including an Aidilfitri-themed showcase.
"The tradition of filling rice and boiling ketupat was also part of the celebration," said Tourism Malaysia in a statement on Wednesday (April 2).
Tourism Malaysia Sabah deputy director Khairul Amir Anuar, KKIA senior manager Jefry Ramli, Sabah Tourism Board senior marketing manager Josephine Chai, as well as representatives from airlines and related agencies attended the event.
Similar celebrations were also held at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminals 1 and 2, Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas, and Kuching International Airport in Sarawak, as part of the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
According to Tourism Malaysia’s statistics, the country recorded significant growth in visitor arrivals, with 38mil tourists in 2024, an increase of 31.1% from 29mil the previous year.
This figure also surpasses the pre-pandemic 2019 record of 35mil arrivals by 8.6%.
Key markets contributing to this surge include Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, and Chinese Taipei.
Visitor spending also saw a notable rise, reaching RM106.78bil in 2024, an increase of 43.7% from 2023 and exceeding the 2019 record by 20%.
This momentum continued into January 2025, with a 54.4% surge in visitor arrivals, reaching 3.8mil compared to the same period in 2019.
Singapore remained the top contributor with 1.7mil arrivals, followed by China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei.
