SANDAKAN: Tourist arrivals to Malaysia in the first two months of this year surged by 31.3% to 6.7 million compared to the same period last year, says Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan.
He said this also marked a 14.5 per cent increase from the pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with Singapore accounting for the bulk of arrivals at 3.1 million, followed by China, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei.
"Last year, Malaysia recorded 38 million tourist arrivals, a significant 31.1% increase compared to the 29 million recorded in 2023. It also surpassed the pre-pandemic record of 35 million arrivals in 2019 by 8.3%.
"The top tourist-generating markets were Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan," he said in a statement on Sunday (April 13).
Khairul Firdaus, who is also the Batu Sapi Member of the Parliament, said the total tourist receipts reached RM106.78bil last year, reflecting a substantial growth of 43.7% in 2023 and exceeding the 2019 level by 20%.
Meanwhile, he said that Tourism Malaysia, in collaboration with the Sandakan Tourism Association (STAN), has launched the latest brochure directory - "A Guide to Sandakan" - as part of its vigorous efforts in promoting interstate travel to Sabah and in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
He said "A Guide to Sandakan" directory offers a wide range of attractions, offering an enticing blend of stunning natural landscapes, diverse flora and fauna, adventure activities, rich cultural experiences and local gastronomy.
The brochure directory is one of the promotional tools aimed at encouraging domestic and international visitors to plan their holidays or weekend getaways to Sandakan.
It is available at the airport and distributed through travel agencies to ensure easy accessibility to tourists.
"From cosying up with the orangutan in the wild to getting up close with Bornean Sun Bears, the mascot of VM2026, Sandakan offers a unique blend of wildlife encounters and adventure.
"Combined with local delicacies and fresh seafood, it is the ideal gateway to explore Sabah," he added. - Bernama
