Tourists and Hindu devotees are seen on the 272 steps of Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple at Batu Caves, Malaysia April 19, 2024. Photo by Reuters
Malaysia expects to attract 2.1 million visitors from India in 2026, up 34.6% year-on-year, under the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY 2026) campaign, tourism officials said.
Tourist arrivals from India reached 1.56 million in 2025, up from 1.36 million in 2024, representing a 14.6% increase, according to data from Tourism Malaysia.
Datuk Manoharan, chairman of Tourism Malaysia, said the 2.1-million target reflects Malaysia’s continued focus on strengthening its presence in the Indian market, The Hindu newspaper reported.
Officials pointed to strengthened air connectivity between India and Malaysia as a key factor supporting tourism growth.
Scoot, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, operates four weekly services from Visakhapatnam to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore.
Overall, there are 238 weekly direct flights linking 14 Indian cities with Malaysia, offering a combined capacity of 47,399 seats. Of these, 151 weekly direct services, accounting for 29,541 seats, originate from cities in South India, Tribune India reported.
Malaysia has emerged as a popular wedding destination for Indian travelers.
According to officials, cultural similarities and familiarity make Malaysia an attractive choice for Indian families. The country’s diverse culinary offerings are also seen as a draw for visitors
Malaysia’s tourism sector recorded 42.2 million visitors in 2025, an 11.2% year-on-year increase and 20.4% higher than 2019 benchmarks, making it the most visited country in Southeast Asia.
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