Malaysia

The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs said 18% of prospective pilgrims for Haj in 2026 have opted to defer the offer. He added Malaysia will ensure it will fully utilise its annual quota of 31,600 pilgrims for 2025. He also said Tabung Haji received 84,000 Hajj appeal applications

Malaysians who were stuck in Hat Yai during the flood are facing costly towing and repair for their vehicles. Those affected are towing their cars from Hat Yai to the Bukit Kayu Hitam border, to get a Malaysian tow truck for their respective states

Singapore-based Travel DMC launched DMC Quote (www.dmcquote.com), a new B2B travel platform for travel packages for the Singapore-Malaysia corridor. This platform will integrate hotel contracts, attraction partnerships, and in-house transport services into one platform. It secured exclusive and preferred rates with leading Singaporean attractions. DMC Quote also features a new multi-currency wallet, which can transact in more than 15 currencies. Travel DMC group has exclusive hotel partnerships, involving 45 hotels in Singapore, 5 hotels in Sentosa, 24 hotels in Kuala Lumpur, and 3 hotels in Genting Highlands

Data from Hatyai SOS showed that 2,960 Malaysian tourists were evacuated on 27 Nov. A total of 4,106 Malaysians across about 200 locations in Hat Yai have been safely evacuated, leaving a remaining 382 people in 50 locations

The Foreign Ministry has activated its operations room in Putrajaya to coordinate assistance for Malaysians affected by the floods in Hat Yai and surrounding areas. The Consulate General of Malaysia in Songkhla and the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok are on full alert to offer support to Malaysians on the ground. Over 6,300 Malaysians managed to return safely to Malaysia

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) announced the MySawasdee train service from KL Sentral to Hat Yai on 28 Nov and 1 Dec has been cancelled due to severe flooding in southern Thailand. KTMB issued 840 tickets for both trips, and a full fare refund will be offered with the fare refund to their KTM Wallet for future ticket purchases

The strong ringgit has helped with the surge for overseas travel, with Expedia recording a 50% to 60% increase in searches over the past 3 months. The search data from 1-20 Nov shows destinations such as Paris recorded a 400% YoY increase in search; Seminyak, Bali, +165%; Istanbul, +150%; Dubai, +60%; and Ubud, Bali, +55%. Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia remain attractive to tourists due to their close proximity and favourable exchange rates. Expedia Group’s Asia Head of Public Relations said that the travellers are allocating RM5,000-RM8,000 for short-haul, and RM12,000 for long-haul trips. She added that premium additions such as cruises, cultural tours, and curated experiences are getting popular, and travellers prefer bundled bookings, inclusive of flight, hotel, and activities. Expedia data shows 30%-40% of bookings are being made at the last minute, and Malaysians spend up to 45 days researching and reading more than 140 pages before confirming a trip. The Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, has been recording an increase in traffic since early Nov to short-haul trips to Batam and the Riau Islands. The Go Holiday 360 founder said the travel agencies benefit from a stronger ringgit, as the overseas travel components are priced in USD, and this allows them to lower the prices of travel packages. Money changers in busy hubs like MidValley Megamall in Nov recorded a 10% YoY increase, ranging from RM3,000 to RM10,000 per transaction. The top exchanged currencies are Japanese yen, Indonesian rupiah, Vietnamese dong, Thai baht, Chinese yuan, and South Korean won. This shows Tokyo, Osaka, Bali and Seoul are preferred destinations for Malaysians

The Foreign Minister advised Malaysians to postpone travel to Vietnam and Thailand due to unstable weather, which caused severe flooding in several parts of both countries. He said no Malaysians have been affected by the floods in Vietnam. He added more than 13,000 Malaysians have exited through the Bukit Kayu Hitam and Padang Besar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complexes from 21-23 Nov

TAT Government expressed concern that inbound trips from Malaysia to southern Thailand will be cancelled following severe flooding. Over 4,000 Malaysians were reportedly stranded in hotels and at Hat Yai airport. Malaysia issued a flood warning alert to Malaysians against visiting southern Thailand. Businesses in Hat Yai are expected to remain closed for the next weeks, despite the high season due to the flood

Malaysia denied interfering in Thailand and Cambodia’s border dispute, and insisted it was only acting as a facilitator at the request of both countries, maintaining a neutral stance

Malaysians are urged to postpone trips to southern Thailand because of heavy flooding and rain in the region

The Goa Government hosted a promotional roadshow in Malaysia on 27 Nov to attract more visitors to the state in India. The Tourism Minister of Goa stated that they will highlight their new tourism vision, updated campaigns, and experiential offerings for the international audiences

ikhlas.com hosted its first travel fair under the theme, ‘Discover the Jewels of Asia’ from 21-30 Nov at Sungei Wang Plaza

Malaysians travelling to Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani provinces in Southern Thailand have been advised against going out at night due to rising violence in the area

The Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia said over 460,000 Malaysians visited Taiwan in 2024. Nearly 10,000 Malaysian students are studying in Taiwan, its 3rd largest source of international students. Over 130,000 Malaysian alumni from Taiwanese educational institutions had returned to Malaysia, working in various sectors