KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia can expect an influx of visitors in the coming weeks as it has been picked as one of the most popular tourist destinations for the upcoming Lunar New Year, placing third behind Japan and Thailand.
According to online booking platform Agoda’s recent rankings, the five most popular destinations visited within Malaysia are tourist hotspots Kuala Lumpur, followed by Johar Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Melaka and Penang.
After Malaysia, regional neighbours Thailand and Vietnam came in as strong contenders as the most sought-after travel destination during the coming holiday period.
The rankings are based on bookings made on Agoda between January 1 and 15, for check-ins on February 9 and 10 and a minimum stay of two nights.
With visitors expected to enjoy Malaysia’s delights mainly hailing from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, South Korea and China, Agoda said that this marks China’s return as a top-five source market since 2019.
“For the first time since 2019, China is back in contention, ranking third source market overall and securing a spot in the top-five inbound lists for Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
“The Lunar New Year holiday, also referred to as Chinese New Year, is traditionally one of the peak travel moments for tourists from mainland China,” Agoda said in a statement today.
Noting that the Lunar New Year is a significant time for travel, Agoda’s Southeast Asia associate vice-president Enric Casals said since a few years back, hotels and destinations have diversified the appeal of their markets with visa-free travel offers and other incentives.
“But, the travel industry will no doubt be looking forward to welcoming back more travellers from China this year.”
Meanwhile, Agoda recorded that Malaysian travellers appear to be exploring destinations abroad, with Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea being the top choices.
A trio of Thai cities – Hat Yai, Bangkok and Krabi – claimed the top three spots of in-demand locations for Malaysian tourists, while Bali and Seoul followed closely behind. – January 23, 2024