Malaysia has set a goal to surpass its 2023 record for Russian tourists this year. And judging by the official statistics, this plan is quite achievable.
While winter and spring tourist flows did not exceed the figures for the same period in 2023, the summer months have shown a steady increase. For instance, over 60,000 Russians spent their vacations in Malaysia in the first half of 2024.
The main influx of Russian tourists occurred in the summer: although the first six months showed a slight decline compared to the same period last year when 64,400 tourists from Russia visited Malaysia, the first month of summer saw a rapid growth. In June, the Southeast Asian country welcomed 6,710 Russians, which is 50.5% more than in June 2023 (4,456 tourists from Russia).
Statistics for July and August are not yet available, but according to tour operators, based on their sales data, the numbers will most likely be higher than last year. Experts attribute this growth to the fact that Malaysia is an easily accessible year-round resort destination for Russians, who can stay in the country for up to 30 days without a visa.
Malaysia plans to welcome 142,000 tourists from Russia this year - 30% more than last year. The projected total tourist flow for 2024 is 27.3 million tourists. By 2026, the country expects the number of foreign visitors to increase to 35.6 million people.
Malaysia considers Russia to be one of its strategically important tourism markets.
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