PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Day holiday today witnessed a continued decline in tourist arrivals to Langkawi, dropping between 30 to 39 percent compared to last year, reflecting similar challenges faced by other major tourism centres in the country.
Speaking to Harian Metro, Langkawi Tourism Association (LTA) chief executive officer Zainudin Kadir said that based on official data obtained from his organisation, the trend proves that more domestic tourists are switching destinations to foreign countries, particularly southern Thailand.
“As industry players, these statistics clearly show a significant decline compared to 2024. We’re talking based on actual data, not mere estimates.
“Many are choosing destinations like Hat Yai because their tourism offerings are more attractive and holiday costs are more affordable.
“Endless facility problems like ferries have also become a major cause because tourists have lost patience when having to wait for tickets or change their holiday schedules,“ he told the Malay daily.
According to him, although facing challenges, tourism locations in Malaysia like Langkawi still have their own attractions but need to be given fresh breath.
Elaborating further, Zainudin said among other causes of declining visitor arrivals are high flight fares reaching thousands of ringgit for return trips, burdening domestic tourists.
“Imagine cheap outbound tickets, but return fares are much higher. This situation frightens tourists,“ he said.
He said domestic tourism promotion is also seen as still weak, causing the domestic market potential to not be fully utilised.
“The government needs to be more aggressive in promoting Malaysian tourism destinations as primary destinations. Don’t let our own domestic tourists choose neighbouring countries,“ he said.
He said cooperation from all parties including the federal government is crucial to ensure the country’s tourism industry continues to develop.
“We want Langkawi to return as the country’s tourism paradise gateway. Government agencies must work hand-in-hand with industry players to restore the situation,“ he said.
As an immediate step, LTA will launch the Langkawi Mega Sales Tourism (LMST) from October 1 to December 31 with discount offers between 15 to 60 percent for various tourism products and activities.
“This initiative is the result of member association agreements including food operators, duty-free products, theme parks and water sports activities. It’s a joint effort to restore tourist confidence,“ he said.
He said this year’s target is to attract 3.5 million tourists to Langkawi by the end of December, with records up to September showing 2.8 million tourist arrivals.
“Therefore, we hope the federal government will give special attention through budget allocation to strengthen promotion and resolve basic issues like ferries and flight fares,“ he said.
On Monday, Harian Metro reported that more than RM130 million in Malaysian cash flow is expected to ‘flow out’ to Thailand during the long Malaysia Day holiday and school break when an estimated over 100,000 citizens choose to holiday in the neighbouring country.
Economic analyst Professor Emeritus Dr Barjoyai Bardai had said the phenomenon proves that the trend of travelling abroad is increasingly becoming a Malaysian lifestyle.
