Malaysia experienced remarkable tourism growth in early 2025, reaching 16.9 million international visitors from January to May 2025 with a significant 20% increase compared to the previous year.
Tourism Malaysia has set an ambitious target of 31.4 million foreign visitors for 2025, demonstrating confidence in the country's strategic tourism initiatives and market recovery capabilities.
Meanwhile, Thailand's tourism sector faced challenges in 2025, with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports reporting 16,614,257 visitors from January to June 29, representing a 4.56% decrease compared to the same period last year.
Thailand is forecast to attract between 36 and 40 million international tourists in 2025, according to projections from the Center for Research Kasikorn (KResearch) and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, indicating potential for recovery in the latter half of the year.
The shifting dynamics in Southeast Asian tourism highlight Malaysia's strategic government initiatives and competitive positioning, while both nations continue to compete for the region's top tourism destination status with their unique cultural offerings and recovery strategies.
