M’sia aims for 22 million S'pore visitors in 2026 as Johor more affordable for middle-class S'poreans

Malaysia is looking to welcome 22 million tourists from Singapore in 2026 as part of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026), a major national tourism campaign.

Visit Malaysia Year is part of the county's goal to boost the tourism economy and was first launched in 1990.

It has since been held five times sporadically, the last in 2020.

The Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore Azfar Mohamad Mustafar said in an interview that Singaporean tourists form the bulk of foreign tourists in Malaysia, especially in Johor, due to its proximity.

Almost 12 million Singaporeans have visited Malaysia so far this year, he added, according to Bernama.

That number is expected to continue rising before 2026.

"Our target for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 is to welcome 22 million Singaporeans to Malaysia for tourism activities and other purposes."

Preferred destination

Johor is especially popular among middle-income Singaporeans, Azfar added, due to Singapore's high cost of living.

He cited a report that Singapore currently ranks among the most expensive cities in the world, leading to many choosing Johor as a preferred destination for shopping for daily necessities.

"Not all Singaporeans are wealthy, many are from the middle class," he told Bernama.

A Singaporean dollar is also worth about three times the Malaysian ringgit, which means that Singaporeans have higher purchasing power.

While this can generate a positive economic spillover for Malaysia, Azfar warned that the welfare of Malaysians must be safeguarded from being adversely affected.

"We must ensure that our people are not burdened by this situation...But overall, we are working to attract even more Singaporeans to visit Malaysia, with Johor remaining the key destination."

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