Tourism in Malaysia
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Malaysia was once ranked 9th in the world for tourist arrivals.[1] The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 ranks Malaysia 25th out of 141 countries overall.
In an effort to diversify the economy and make Malaysia's economy less dependent on exports, the government pushed to increase tourism in Malaysia. As a result, tourism has become Malaysia's third largest source of foreign exchange income,[2] and accounted for 7% of Malaysia's economy as of 2005.[3]
The government agency in charge of promoting tourism in Malaysia is Tourism Malaysia or the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB). On 20 May 1987, the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism (MOCAT) was established and TDC moved to this new ministry. TDC existed from 1972 to 1992, when it became the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB), through the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Act, 1992.
In 1999, Malaysia launched a worldwide marketing campaign called "Malaysia, Truly Asia" which was largely successful and brought in over 7.4 million tourists.[4] The extra revenue generated by tourism helped the country's economy during the economic crisis of 2008.[5]
Types of tourism[]
Medical tourism[]
Medical tourism is popular in Malaysia, with the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council reporting an arrival of 641,000 foreign patients in 2011, 728,800 in 2012, 881,000 in 2013 and 882,000 in 2014.[6] Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, a government agency with the aim of promoting medical tourism, was launched in 2009 as an initiative by the Ministry of Health.[7]
Tourist arrivals[]
Tourist arrivals[]
In 2016, Malaysia recorded 26,757,392 tourist arrivals, a growth of 4.0% compared to 25,721,251 in 2015.
Rank | Country | Visitors (2019)[8] | Visitors (2018)[9] | Visitors (2017)[10] | Visitors (2016)[11] | Visitors (2015)[12] | Visitors (2014)[13] | Visitors (2013)[14] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
10,163,882 | 10,615,986 | 12,441,713 | 13,272,961 | 12,930,754 | 13,932,967 | 13,178,774 |
2 | ![]() |
3,623,277 | 3,277,689 | 2,796,570 | 3,049,964 | 2,788,033 | 2,827,533 | 2,548,021 |
3 | ![]() |
3,114,257 | 2,944,133 | 2,281,666 | 2,124,942 | 1,677,163 | 1,613,355 | 1,791,423 |
4 | ![]() |
1,884,306 | 1,914,692 | 1,836,522 | 1,780,800 | 1,343,569 | 1,299,298 | 1,156,452 |
5 | ![]() |
1,216,123 | 1,382,031 | 1,660,506 | 1,391,016 | 1,133,555 | 1,213,110 | 1,238,471 |
6 | ![]() |
735,309 | 600,311 | 552,739 | 638,578 | 722,141 | 770,108 | 650,989 |
7 | ![]() |
673,065 | 616,783 | 484,528 | 444,439 | 421,161 | 385,769 | 274,622 |
8 | ![]() |
424,694 | 394,540 | 392,777 | 413,768 | 483,569 | 553,106 | 513,076 |
9 | ![]() |
421,908 | 396,062 | 370,559 | 417,446 | 554,917 | 618,538 | 557,147 |
10 | ![]() |
400,346 | 375,578 | 248,927 | 216,877 | 229,626 | 285,716 | 235,700 |
11 | ![]() |
382,916 | 383,922 | 332,927 | 300,861 | 283,224 | 274,665 | 286,266 |
12 | ![]() |
368,271 | 351,500 | 351,232 | 377,727 | 486,948 | 571,328 | 526,342 |
13 | ![]() |
346,485 | 361,335 | 358,818 | 400,269 | 401,019 | 445,789 | 413,472 |
14 | ![]() |
269,928 | 253,384 | 198,203 | 217,075 | 237,768 | 262,106 | 246,936 |
15 | ![]() |
179,000 | 150,054 | 111,836 | 114,607 | 147,152 | 204,418 | 134,663 |
Grand total | 26,100,784 | 25,832,354 | 25,948,459 | 26,757,392 | 25,721,251 | 27,437,315 | 25,715,460 |
Destinations and attractions[]
- Alor Star – capital of Kedah, the state of the paddy fields
- George Town – the capital city of Penang, one of the country's UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 7 July 2008.
- Ipoh – capital of Perak, famous for its Chinese food, tin mines and limestone mountains and caves
- Johor Bahru – capital of Johor, and gateway to Singapore
- Kangar – capital of Perlis, and gateway to Thailand
- Kota Kinabalu – capital of Sabah, nearest city to Mount Kinabalu
- Kota Bharu – capital of Kelantan, and gateway to Thailand
- Kuala Terengganu – capital of Terengganu, famous for the turtles and beaches
- Kuantan – capital of Pahang, noted for its many beaches
- Kuching – capital of Sarawak, the Cat City of Malaysia
- Malacca City – a historical city in Malaysia. This is the other cultural World Heritage Site in Malaysia since 7 July 2008.
- Seremban – the capital of Negeri Sembilan, and the nearest cities to Port Dickson
- Putrajaya – the administrative centre of Malaysia
- Petaling Jaya – a satellite city located in the state of Selangor, and is in the proximity of Kuala Lumpur. It has the most commercial complexes in Malaysia.
Beside the main cities, there other town and places in Malaysia offer some special tourist attraction. Such as in Taiping for their landscape and local attraction. Teluk Intan for their Leaning tower. Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands and Bukit Tinggi in Pahang for a cool climate. Muar in Johor is famous for its food. Miri is the official tourism-city and resort city of Sarawak and Sibu in Sarawak is famous for its landscape and parks.
Islands and beaches[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Kota_Sapi_island.jpg/350px-Kota_Sapi_island.jpg)
Malaysia has several tropical islands. Some of the islands in Malaysia are:
- Kapas
- Labuan
- Langkawi
- Lang Tengah
- Mabul
- Pangkor
- Penang
- Perhentian
- Rawa
- Redang
- Sipadan
- Tenggol
- Tioman
- Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
National parks and nature reserves[]
- Kubah National Park, Sarawak
- Bako National Park, Sarawak – famed for its wildlife, especially Bornean bearded pigs and proboscis monkeys
- Batang Ai National Park, Sarawak
- Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak
- Gunung Gading National Park, Sarawak
- Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak
- Niah Caves National Park, Sarawak
- Loagan Bunut National Park, Sarawak
- Kinabalu National Park, Sabah – home of 4100 metre peak Mount Kinabalu
- Taman Negara National Park – the world's oldest rainforest, spanning Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu
- Endau Rompin National Park, Johor
- Taman Eko Rimba, Kuala Lumpur - the nature reserve in the middle of Kuala Lumpur. The nature reserve is located near Kuala Lumpur Tower.
Other places of interest[]
- A' Famosa Resort, Malacca
- Aquaria KLCC, KL
- Bakelalan, Sarawak
- Bario, Sarawak
- Batu Caves, Selangor
- Batu Ferringhi, Penang
- Berjaya Hills Resort, Pahang
- Berjaya Times Square, KL
- Bukit Bintang, KL
- Cameron Highlands, Pahang
- Central Market, KL
- Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca
- Chin Swee Caves Temple, Pahang
- Crystal Mosque, Terengganu
- Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Penang
- Fort Cornwallis, Penang
- Fraser's Hill, Pahang
- Genting Highlands, Pahang
- Gurney Drive, Penang
- Islamic Arts Museum, KL
- Kampung Baru, KL
- Kek Lok Si , Penang
- Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Pahang[15][16]
- Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, KL
- Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park, KL
- Kuala Lumpur Tower, KL
- Long Pasia, Sipitang, Sabah
- Masjid Negara, KL
- Merdeka Square, KL
- Mines Wellness City, Selangor
- Muzium Negara, KL
- National Monument, KL
- Penang Hill, Penang
- Perdana Botanical Gardens, KL
- Petronas Twin Towers, KL
- Poh San Teng Temple, Malacca
- Snake Temple, Penang
- Sri Mahamariamman Temple, KL
- Stadium Merdeka, KL
- Sultan Abdul Samad Building, KL
- Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, Selangor
- Sunway Lagoon, Selangor
- Thean Hou Temple, KL
- Wat Chetawan, Selangor
- Wat Phothivihan, Kelantan
- Zoo Negara, KL
See also[]
References[]
- ^ http://travel-to-malaysia.com/malaysia-is-ninth-most-visited-in-the-world-in-unwto-list/
- ^ Munan, Heidi. Malaysia. New York: Benchmark Books, 2002. pp. 28.
- ^ "M'sia is ninth most visited in the world in UNWTO list". The Star. 7 February 2012. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2008.
- ^ Munan, Heidi. Malaysia. New York: Benchmark Books, 2002. pp. 29.
- ^ Warshaw, Steven, and A. J. Tudisco. Southeast Asia Emerges; a Concise History of Southeast Asia from Its Origin to the Present. [Berkeley, Calif.]: Diablo, 1975. Print. pp. 77.
- ^ "Statistics". Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council. Archived from the original on 3 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Who we are". Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2019)" (PDF). Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2018)" (PDF). Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2017)" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2018.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2016)" (PDF). Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2015)" (PDF). Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2014)" (PDF). Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ "Top 45 Tourist Arrivals (2013)" (PDF). Retrieved 4 March 2018.
- ^ Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary (Temerloh) Archived 18 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Tourism Pahang.
- ^ Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Endemic Guides.
External links[]
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Malaysia. |
- Tourism in Malaysia