PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24, 2026 — Malaysia recorded more than 21.1 million international visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, up 2.5% from the same period last year despite geopolitical tensions that disrupted global travel.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Dato Sri Tiong King Sing said Malaysia welcomed 21,118,039 international visitors between January and June, an increase of 514,958 arrivals compared with the 20,603,081 recorded during the same period in 2025.

However, more than half of Malaysia’s 50 major international source markets recorded declines, with 26 markets reporting lower arrivals while 24 registered growth.

Tiong said the 2.5% growth was the lowest recorded for the first half of the year since Malaysia’s post-pandemic tourism recovery began.

He attributed the slower growth mainly to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which disrupted international flight operations and affected outbound travel markets worldwide.

Europe and Middle East among hardest-hit markets

Europe and the Middle East were among the markets most affected by the conflict.

Tiong said France was the only one of Malaysia’s three major European source markets to record growth, while arrivals from Britain and Germany declined.

Germany, in particular, recorded negative growth for the first time since its tourism market began recovering after the pandemic.

At the same time, arrivals from Türkiye, Russia, Spain and Poland increased, while markets including the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium were affected to varying degrees.

In the Middle East, arrivals from Saudi Arabia and Oman declined, while Egypt was among the North African markets affected.

The conflict also contributed to higher international fuel prices, increasing outbound travel costs and affecting markets beyond Europe and the Middle East, including India, Chinese Taipei and South Korea.

Asian markets support overall growth

Despite the challenges, Malaysia continued to see growth from several key markets in Asia and beyond.

Tiong said arrivals from Southeast Asian markets, particularly Singapore and the Philippines, continued to increase, while visitor numbers from China, Central Asia, Oceania and North America also recorded growth.

“This enabled Malaysia to record a modest 2.5% increase in international visitor arrivals in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year,” he said.

In response to changing global conditions, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has adjusted its market strategy, placing greater emphasis on Asian markets, particularly Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

Tiong also said Visit Malaysia Year has been extended to 2027, with the move aimed at maintaining momentum and supporting continued growth in the tourism sector.