Travel Industry, News and Analytics

Malaysia Shares Its 2020 Tourist Arrivals Data

Last year was hard for tourism around the world, and the latest data revealed by Malaysia only proves this. After the record year of 2019 and the total number of arrivals exceeding 26 million, Malaysia experienced a rapid drop to only 4.3 million tourist arrivals. Hotels in Kuala Lumpur and other popular destinations had to deal with a huge drop in guests and, of course, revenues.

Malaysia is not the only country that suffered from such a drastic drop in arrivals last year. According to the information published by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the decrease in arrivals in Asia and the Pacific reached 84% in 2020. ASEAN countries had a similar result. The arrivals in Singapore dropped by 85.7%, in Thailand – by 83.2%, in Vietnam and Indonesia - by 78.7% and 75% respectively.

Naturally, such a drastic drop in arrivals had a negative impact on the revenues generated by tourism. If in 2019 total tourist receipts accounted for RM86.14 billion, the 2020 tourist receipts decreased to just RM12.69 billion, featuring a decline of 85.3%. This is slightly more than the decrease in tourist arrivals (-83.4%). Furthermore, the individual per capita expenditures were falling in 2020 compared to 2019. Two years ago the average tourist spending was RM3,300 falling to RM2,928 a year later. This is a decline of 11.3%, which signifies that people are trying to save while traveling and have strict control over their expenditures. This fact is easy to understand as people had their earnings cut as well during the pandemic period.

All markets posted declines in 2020. This is true about the short-haul market where the decline in arrivals reached (83.5%), the medium-haul market (-84.7%), and the long-haul market (-79.7%). International tourists couldn’t visit Malaysia during most of 2020 even if they wanted to do this because the country’s borders closed on 18 March in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

ASEAN countries (short-haul market) were the biggest source market for Malaysia, accounting for 68.1% of tourist arrivals (2.9 million). East Asia and South Asia (medium-haul market) had a share of 20.1% or 870 thousand arrivals, and the long-haul market had the smallest share of 11.8% or 512 thousand arrivals. The top ten source countries for Malaysia are the following: Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, India, Brunei, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Vietnam.

Individual City Guides

Ulm travel guide

A major university center, this is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. There are many tourists here at any time of a year. People are attracted by unique places of interest, cozy restaurants and wide selection of shops. Ulm Cathedral is the main symbol of the city. The height of the main tower reaches 161 meters. This tower is considered the highest one in the world; its top is equipped with an observation deck, which features a breathtaking panorama of the city. The interior of the … Read further

Cuisine of Tenerife

An acquaintance with peculiarities of Canarian cuisine becomes one of the favorite entertainments for Tenerife guests. Perhaps the main feature of the local cuisine is a delicious malvasia wine, which has enjoyed a great popularity among foreign visitors since Shakespeare’s times. Each national restaurant usually offers a decent selection of local wines and fine drinks brought from neighboring islands. One of the most favorite tourist wineries is La Baranda located in a suburban area of … Read further

Traditions and festivals in Toronto

Toronto is a city of festivals; the whole its way of life is based on festive events. Dozens of festivals and national holidays take place here; their subjects are striking with diversity. Toronto Street Festival is especially popular among travelers. During it, a variety of fairs, exhibitions and entertainment events are held. The main celebrations take place on the Outdoor Art Exibition Toronto square; during the festival, lots of colorful tents are placed on it. Local craftsmen present … Read further

Saint-Tropez cultural sights

Tourists are recommended to start their exploration of the city landmarks and sites with the l'Hôtel-de-Ville square. Close to the square tourists will discover a remarkable historical landmark named the Suffren Palace (Le Château de Suffren) being among the oldest and most beautiful architectural constructions of the city. The age of the palace is about a thousand years. It was built in the 9th century. At present this historical construction houses a popular gift shop. A remarkable … Read further

Cambridge attractions and entertainment

The number of interesting entertainment centers in Cambridge is no less than the number of historical sites and museums. Tourists, who cannot leave without the exploration of beautiful natural places, are recommended to visit the John F. Kennedy Park. The monument of the U.S. president remains the main decoration of the picturesque park. You will also find many other beautiful sculptures there. The park is a great place for walking, various sports activities, and relaxation under the shade of … Read further

Vasteras for families and kids

For those traveling to Vasteras with their children, it is worth looking into the Vasteras Historiska Skeppsmuseum. This is an amazing historical museum in which children will be able to see a real Viking ship built of wooden boats, and typical wooden houses of locals built right above the water. In one of these houses, there is a café where visitors can enjoy a huge selection of ice cream. This open-air museum is located in the territory of a vast park. There are many beautiful and interesting … Read further

Shopping in Malta Island

One of the most popular places of shopping for tourists in Malta is the village of masters Ta Qali Crafts Village, it is here you can find the most popular folk art and choose original souvenirs. In this village, tourists can not only visit the shops but also visit the craft workshops. Incredibly beautiful glass figurines and figurines are produced In Ta Qali, the choice of key chains and decorative ornaments made of glass is simply huge here. Special attention should be paid to paintings of … Read further

Extreme and fun in Inverness

Traveling on Loch Ness Lake . The famous lake of Loch Ness is located 35 kilometers west of Inverness. You can contact the firm of Jacobite on any day of the week at any time of the year. Its staff will arrange a boat trip around the lake. You will start your journey at the Tomnahurich Bridge. It is located in the south of the city. You will sail 1 kilometer along the Caledonian Canal. After that, you will go down Loch Ness. You will see a beautiful landscape and fabulous castles during … Read further