KUALA LUMPUR: This year's Chinese New Year celebration witnessed a significant resurgence in consumer spending in cross-border tourism in Malaysia, signalling a robust rebound post-Covid-19.
Malaysia became the fifth most popular destination globally for Chinese tourists, according to data from Alipay+ and Paynet.
Besides Chinese tourists, Malaysia ranks as the sixth most popular destination amongst other Asian tourists.
The data stated that spending in Malaysia in the first seven days of CNY was two times that of the same period in 2019 and more than 10 times that of 2023.
"Since November 2023, Alipay+ has been accepted by more than 1.9 million DuitNow QR merchants, giving tourists greater convenience to pay via their home e-wallets no matter where in the country they visit.
"With its use spreading across age and income groups, mobile payment is increasingly becoming an important promoter of local and cross-border commerce in Asia and beyond," Alipay+ Offline Merchant Services general manager Dr Cherry Huang said in a statement.
Other countries on the list of preferred travel locations for Chinese travellers are Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, France, Australia and Canada.
"Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore combined saw a 7.5 per cent increase over 2019 and a 580 per cent leap over 2023, with Thailand leading in total volume and Malaysia showing the most significant growth.
"New visa-free policies from major Southeast Asia destinations, including Malaysia, are critical enablers of the cross-border travel boom," the statement said.
The data added that a global campaign to attract Chinese tourists has been in full swing since December last year.
"In addition to a more significant geographical footprint, the Chinese globe-trotter is expanding interest from traditional activities like shopping and visiting major tourist sites to a more immersive and unique local experience
"Globally, in the CNY week, Chinese tourists spent 70 per cent more on food and beverage than in 2019, venturing from downtown hotspots to out-of-the-way local treasures," the statement said.