DOMESTIC tourism in Malaysia saw a remarkable recovery in 2022 after registering total spending of RM64.1 billion, compared with RM18.4 billion in 2021, the Domestic Tourism Survey (DTS) 2022 revealed.

The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement today said the number of domestic tourists surged 160.1% to reach 171.6 million in 2022, compared with 66 million recorded a year before.

“After enduring nearly two years of the devastating Covid-19, the resumption of domestic tourism brings a sense of relief to the people of Malaysia and its economy,” it said.

DTS 2022 presents the annual statistics on visitor arrivals, tourism expenditure, travel patterns and social and demographic characteristics of local tourists.

DOSM said Selangor emerged as the most visited state last year, attracting 22 million domestic visitors, followed by the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (16.9 million) and Sarawak (15.5 million).

It noted that the number of local tourists visiting Pahang surged by 511.8% (7.8 million visitors), compared with 1.3 million in the previous year. – Bernama, June 26, 2023.