Malaysia’s aviation sector is finally bouncing back to near pre-pandemic levels, official data has shown, with nearly 90 million passenger journeys in and out of the country recorded from January to November 2024.

International arrivals surged by 20.7 per cent from 2023, official data revealed on Friday, as Chinese and Indian tourists led the return to Malaysia’s beaches and cities.

But the number of visitors is still shy of a goal of 27.3 million tourists for 2024 – including 2.7 million short of a 5 million target from China – signalling lingering challenges in the global travel economy.

Tourism is vital for Malaysia’s economy, contributing 71.3 billion ringgit (US$15.8 billion) in revenue in 2023 and supporting more than 2.3 million jobs, second only to the oil and gas sector.

The pandemic severely affected Malaysia’s tourism industry, with international arrivals plummeting to just 4.3 million visitors in 2020 from a peak of 26.1 million the year before. 2021 saw a further decline, with only 130,000 visitors arriving in the country.

Visitors climb the steps inside a cave at the Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in September 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE

Visitors climb the steps inside a cave at the Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in September 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE

In a statement on Thursday, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) reported that over the past 11 months of 2024, cumulative passenger traffic reached 88.3 million passengers, putting Malaysia on track to meet its full-year forecast of upwards of 95 million passengers once the crucial December holiday traffic is accounted for.

Eight million passengers were recorded alone in November 2024, nearly 16 per cent higher than in the same month in 2023.

The commission said this was driven primarily by a surge in international travel, supported by new route launches and expanded seat capacity, saying it had “strengthened Malaysia’s international air connectivity”.

“We are confident that this momentum will carry forward in 2025,” said MAVCOM’s Executive Chairman Saripuddin Kasim.

These routes include Kuala Lumpur to Nairobi (Kenya), Sri Vijaya Puram (India) and Chiang Rai (Thailand), as well as Kota Kinabalu to Kaohsiung City (Taiwan) and Shantou (mainland China).

While related, the number of passenger arrivals differs from tourist arrivals as the former encompasses tourists, business travellers, same-day visitors, and even crew members, with each arrival counted individually.

Tourist arrivals, meanwhile, refers to the number of international visitors who arrive in a country and stay for at least one night.

A tourist from China takes photos at a scenic spot in Malacca, Malaysia, in December 2024. Photo: Xinhua

A tourist from China takes photos at a scenic spot in Malacca, Malaysia, in December 2024. Photo: Xinhua

The target of 5 million Chinese tourists is backed by the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing.

Part of the commemoration includes special visa-free permission for Chinese tourists to enter Malaysia for up to 30 days until December 31, 2026.

However, by September, only about 2.29 million Chinese tourists had visited Malaysia.

Beijing reciprocated by waiving visas for Malaysians until the end of 2025, permitting stays of up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, family visits and transit.

Malaysia also faces stiff competition with its neighbours, with many Chinese tourists choosing Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia as their destinations.

Flag carrier Malaysia Airlines, which flies to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen, has however been beset with problems with aircraft reliability, forcing several flights to turn back due to technical issues, thereby damaging its reputation among some frequent fliers.