Natural beauty: A visitor taking a selfie while visiting Putuo Village in Kulai, Johor. The destination is known for its Buddhist temple, shrines and vast bamboo forest. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
JOHOR BARU: With beautiful islands in Mersing, family-friendly theme parks and world-class golf courses in Forest City and Desaru, Johor remains a magnet for foreign tourists, with visitors from China and India being the fastest-growing segments.
Chinese tourist arrivals surged from 319,506 in 2023 to 1,005,633 in 2024, with 746,504 recorded between January and July 2025.
Indian arrivals also doubled between 2023 and 2024, rising from 223,569 to 464,699, with 371,574 in the first seven months of 2025, according to the Johor Immigration Department.
Singapore remains the largest source of visitors, with 17.5 million visitor entries recorded in 2024, followed by 11.27 million up to July this year.
Indonesia is the second biggest contributor, with 1.36 million arrivals in 2024 and 905,367 from January to July 2025, supported by ferry and flight links.
The state recorded a total of 22.07 million foreign visitors in 2024, and 14.4 million between January and July 2025, a momentum that is expected to strengthen in the lead-up to Visit Johor 2026.
“With Visit Johor 2026 just around the corner, the state government is making sure all our plans run smoothly,” state unity, culture and heritage committee chairman K. Raven Kumar said.
He said upgrading works at several major attractions, including national parks, Muzium Tokoh, Johor Zoo and other heritage sites, are progressing well.
“Most of these projects are already about 90% complete and are expected to be fully ready by year-end,” he added.
Raven Kumar said the state has also lined up a series of major events for Visit Johor 2026, with details to be announced by Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He said the surge in foreign arrivals was also supported by improved accessibility.
Senai International Airport currently offers direct regional connections, mainly to Indonesia and Thailand, with seasonal and charter flights to several cities in China.
“Besides flying directly into Johor, many tourists, particularly those from China and India, travel here by bus with the state being between Changi Airport in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur International Airport,” he said.
He added that many were also taking advantage of Malaysia’s visa-free entry for Chinese visitors and visa exemption for Indian nationals.
“We also find that many tourists from China and India enjoy the food and cultural familiarity here, which makes their travel experience more comfortable,” said Raven Kumar.
