LANGKAWI: Tourist arrivals to the island nearly tripled from 2021 to last year, underlining its global pull even after the pandemic years.
According to Kedah's Darul Aman Information Secretariat, figures from the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) showed arrivals rising from 1,093,937 in 2021 to 3,215,730 last year, breaking the three million mark.
The steady climb, from 2.58 million in 2022 to 2.81 million in 2023 and 2.9 million in 2024, reflected Langkawi’s continued appeal among both domestic and international travellers, said Kedah tourism committee chairman Mohd Salleh Saidin.
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He stressed that the numbers showed the island had not lost its allure, and fully reinstating its duty-free status would strengthen that position.
He said restoring duty-free privileges, especially for tobacco products including premium cigars and luxury cars, would boost the island’s tourism sector.
"Langkawi has never lost its magic, and we believe tourist arrivals will rise even more significantly if this status is fully reinstated," he said.
Salleh said strengthening Langkawi’s position would not only benefit local communities but also contribute to the state’s economic growth and reinforce Malaysia’s tourism image internationally.
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The proposal to restore Langkawi’s duty-free status gained traction after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called for a review.
The idea was earlier raised by the Sultan of Kedah, Al-Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, during the opening of the Kedah state assembly, where His Royal Highness called for the island’s duty-free status to be fully reinstated.
Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor expressed appreciation for the Federal Government’s willingness to study the proposal.
