Malaysia, country occupying parts of the island of Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, a very emergent tourist destination in South East Asia, highlighted by dynamic cities, stunning beaches, idyllic islands, a rich biodiversity, national parks, rainforests, remarkable treasures and hidden gems. with a captivating mix of Malay, Chinese and European cultural influences and fabulous food is experiencing in the tourism sector an impressive growth and now focusing on religious tourism to diversify and enhance its offering.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, during Royal Selangor's 140th anniversary celebration revealed that the country's is seeing a very significant increase of its tourism sector with visitors numbers that amounted to an impressive 36.0 million in 2024.
This very significant growth in terms of incoming tourism is attributed to the increasing of arrivals from China but also from other countries with tourists more and more interested in the many opportunities Malaysia offers to live memorable experiences, also driven by the implementation of visa - free entrty for travellers from different nations and a very varied tourism offering in many segments and niches.
The Deputy Minister also said that the ministry is focusing on the religious tourism specifically on the Muslim - friendly tourism industry, linked to the so called "Halal tourism" that offers travel experiences adhering to Islamic principles, and includes accommodations, dining, transportation and activities, representing a market with huge untapped potential that many countries have yet to explore.
The Deputy Minister added that the Malaysian tourism industry needs to understand the changing preferences of travellers after covid - 19. Before the pandemic their interest were different, but now they are looking for more experiential trips, as they want to see, feel and immerse themselves in authentic experiences, and the Malaysian tourism sector must create offerings to meet these expectations.
Malaysia is well positioned in this regard, Islam was historically introduced in South East Asia by travelling merchants and Sufis from the late 13th century entering with a strong influence in Malaysia, it is the official religion of the country as per Article 3 of the Constiution, and the majority of the population practices it, however the nation also allows the practice of other religions and it offers a very interesting scene to develop very attractive options in the religious tourism segment diversifying and enhancing its offering.
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