Arrivals to southern neighbour so far in 2026 slightly ahead of figures for Thailand
People walk in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the Petronas Towers in the background. (Photo: Bangkok Post)
Foreign arrivals to Malaysia have edged ahead of those in Thailand, signalling that the two countries are vying to become the favourite destinations for foreigners to Southeast Asia.Statistics from the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) showed 21.1 million foreign arrivals so far in 2026. The figure was slightly ahead of 20.9 million arrivals recorded in Thailand from January to August, according to figures released by Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Tourism Malaysia did not specify the latest date on which the agency compiled its numbers.
The two countries were also in a neck-and-neck race for travellers from China in terms of growth. Malaysia welcomed 2.56 million Chinese visitors in the first half of this year, an increase of 17%, while 3.54 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand, up 16%.
