When visiting Malaysia, tourists typically head for larger cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Thanks to the ongoing Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign, however, secondary cities have experienced a boost in tourism as well. There was a significant increase in flight traffic to secondary cities in January 2026, compared to Q4 2025, according to new Traveloka insights. The growth in the tourism sector shows that VM2026 is on track to reach its target of 43 million visitors and RM329bil in tourism revenue. China is becoming increasingly popular as well, with Malaysians heading to cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chengdu.

Source: The Star March 20, 2026 13:39 UTC