Malaysia’s domestic tourism expenditure reached RM24.1 billion in the first quarter of 2024, marking a 25.3% year-on-year increase, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). The number of domestic visitors rose significantly to 58.6 million, up 19.0% compared to the same period last year, and 6.5% higher than the fourth quarter of 2023.
The findings were published in the latest MALAYSIA’S DOMESTIC TOURISM SURVEY (DTS) 2023 AND DTS BULLETIN FOR THE FIRST QUARTER 2024. The report includes annual statistics on visitor arrivals, tourism expenditure, travel patterns, and the social and demographic characteristics of domestic visitors in 2023.
Chief Statistician Datuk Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin highlighted that domestic tourism saw a significant upturn in 2023, with total spending reaching RM84.9 billion, up from RM64.1 billion in 2022.
This increase was driven by a 34.4% rise in the number of tourists and a 29.7% increase in excursionists. Tourists accounted for 61.5% of the total spending (up from 60.7% in 2022). The total number of domestic visitors increased by 24.6% to 213.7 million, compared to 171.6 million in 2022.
Shopping was the largest expenditure category for domestic visitors, comprising 36.3% of total spending (down from 38.9% in 2022). Food and beverages accounted for 16.3% (up from 15.2%), and automotive fuel purchases made up 13.2% (slightly down from 13.8%). Visiting relatives and friends remained the primary purpose of domestic tourism, accounting for 33.6% of trips (down from 33.7%), though still below the pre-pandemic level of 42.3%. Shopping was the second most common reason for travel, contributing 32.6% (up from 29.9%).
In 2023, domestic visitors undertook 241.5 million trips within Malaysia, a 16.2% increase from the previous year. However, the average length of stay (ALOS) decreased slightly to 2.45 nights from 2.55 nights in 2022.
Selangor was the most visited state in 2023, attracting 27.6 million domestic visitors. W.P. Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak followed with 22.2 million and 17.9 million visitors, respectively. Johor saw a notable increase of 42.7% in domestic tourists, reaching 8.92 million compared to 6.25 million the previous year.
