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Malaysia Outpaces New Zealand in Arrival Growth as Australia Reports 9% More Visitor Trips
Malaysia is seen to be driving Australia’s arrival growth rate at 12.7%, with international visitor trips growing at 9% in 2026. There is a marked change in Australia’s tourism sector in 2026, where Malaysia becomes one of the fastest-growing destinations for its international visitors. While New Zealand is still leading the way with regard to total international arrivals, Malaysia has surpassed many of the well-established markets in terms of the rate of year-on-year arrivals, which grew to an impressive 12.7% in August 2026. In addition, the number of international visitor trips for Australia has grown at 9% for the year ending June 2026.Malaysia has emerged as a notable contributor to Australia’s international tourism growth in 2026. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australia welcomed 26,470 short-term visitors from Malaysia in August 2026, compared with 23,490 during the corresponding month of 2025. This represents a substantial increase of 12.7%, making Malaysia the fastest-growing market among Australia’s ten largest international visitor sources.
Source: Travel and Tour World
