PUTRAJAYA: Domestic tourism expenditure increased by 12.3% to RM32.8bil in the second quarter of this year from RM29.2bil in the same quarter last year, reflecting resilient demand for domestic travel.
The Statistics Department said the domestic tourism sector maintained its growth momentum in the second quarter of 2026, with the total number of domestic visitors increasing by 4.3% to 76.9 million, compared to 73.8 million in the same quarter last year.
"In the second quarter of 2026, the number of domestic tourists, defined as visitors who travel and stay for at least one night, increased to 29.6 million from 27.4 million in the same quarter of the previous year, recording year-on-year growth of 7.9%.
"Compared with the first quarter of 2026, the number of domestic tourists increased by 7.8 per cent, reflecting strong demand for overnight travel among Malaysians," it said in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 23).
The department said visiting relatives and friends remained the main purpose of domestic travel, accounting for 44.1 per cent, followed by shopping (21.6 per cent) and holidays (13.0 per cent).
Overall, the department said the performance in the second quarter of 2026 showed that domestic tourism demand remained resilient, supported by continued growth in the number of visitors and tourists. – Bernama
