ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor is on track to welcome 12 million tourists this year with an estimated economic impact of RM42.48bil, the state assembly was told.
This is backed by strong early momentum and an aggressive lineup of tourism programmes, unity, culture and heritage committee chairman K. Raven Kumar said on Monday (May 4).
He said the Visit Johor 2026 campaign will feature between 100 and 170 events throughout the year to draw visitors from around the world.
Johor recorded 10.63 million tourist arrivals last year, comprising over 7.38 million domestic visitors and 3.25 million international tourists who stayed at least one night.
"For the first three months of 2026 alone, the state recorded over 6.07 million visitor movements, compared with 5.96 million in the same period last year," he said.
He was replying to questions from Ng Yak Howe (PH-Bentayan), Hasrunizah Hassan (BN-Pulai Sebatang), Azizul Bachok (BN-Tiram) and Rashidah Ismail (BN-Pasir Raja).
Raven Kumar said the increase is a positive start to the campaign year and indicates that promotional efforts and tourism programmes are gaining traction.
He added that Singapore remains Johor’s largest source market, followed by Indonesia, China and India, all of which recorded notable increases in visitor numbers during the January-to-March period.
Raven Kumar said the campaign was officially rolled out through programmes at major entry points by Tourism Johor in collaboration with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and Tourism Malaysia.
"At least 16 entry points across land, air and sea have been involved in the initiative to create a strong first impression for visitors entering the state," he added.
Raven Kumar also said Johor’s tourism sector also received a major boost after Tourism Johor was recognised by the Asia Record for recording the highest number of international visitors entering via a land crossing between two sovereign nations.
"A total of 24.7 million international visitors were recorded in 2025, including 19.38 million from Singapore, reinforcing Johor’s position as a key tourism gateway to Malaysia and the region," he added.
On product development, he highlighted the launch of Night Zoo Johor on March 27, offering a unique after-dark wildlife experience aimed at families and educational tourism.
He added that the upcoming Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar and Muzium Tokoh Johor, scheduled to open in June, will strengthen the state’s cultural and heritage tourism offerings.
"To improve connectivity, plans are underway to introduce a Johor Tourist Bus service linking key attractions in Johor Baru, making it easier for visitors to move between destinations.
"Existing attractions are also being upgraded, including Hutan Bandar MBJB, which now features a zipline and water park, as well as Taman Tasek Merdeka with enhanced recreational facilities," he said.
Raven Kumar also said the state is also continuing to expand its ecotourism segment, with sites such as Kampung Sungai Melayu, Taman Negara Tanjung Piai and Taman Negara Gunung Ledang attracting nature lovers and adventure seekers.
"With strong statistics, strategic planning and continuous product development, Johor is well positioned to achieve its target of 12 million tourists and RM42.48bil in tourism receipts," he said.
He added that the state’s holistic approach of balancing new attractions, upgraded facilities and improved infrastructure would ensure Johor remains a competitive and dynamic tourism destination in the region.
