Malaysia, Thailand in close competition for tourists

Foreign arrivals to Malaysia have recently surpassed those in Thailand, indicating a fierce competition between the two countries to attract foreign tourists in Southeast Asia. According to Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, Malaysia recorded 21.1 million foreign arrivals so far in 2026, slightly ahead of Thailand's 20.9 million arrivals from January to August, as reported by Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Malaysia is also in a close race with Thailand in terms of Chinese visitors, with 2.56 million Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia in the first half of the year, an increase of 17%, compared to 3.54 million Chinese tourists in Thailand, up 16%. Last year, Malaysia welcomed 42 million foreign visitors, compared to Thailand's 33 million.

The positive trend in visitor numbers is attributed to Malaysia's successful marketing strategies, such as the Visit Malaysia campaign, which highlights the country's multicultural nature to attract more visitors. Malaysia's Tourism Director-General, Manoharan Periasamy, attributed the boost to the country's allure to longer stays and increased spending by foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, Bill Heinecke, founder and chairman of Bangkok-based Minor International, suggested that Malaysia is emerging as a major tourist destination in Southeast Asia, and urged the Thai government to ease the 30-day visa-free policy for tourists visiting for health and wellness tourism. Heinecke believes that such measures would promote the hospitality sector in Thailand. Thailand projects 34 million foreign visitors this year.