KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Malaysia’s air passenger traffic for the first 10 months of the year reached 80.3 million, putting the country on track to meet the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (Mavcom) full-year forecast of 95.4 million to 97.6 million passengers.

Mavcom attributed the growth to a steady recovery in domestic and international travel, building on the strong performance recorded in September 2024 with October 2024 seeing eight million passengers, marking a 13.0 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) increase.

However, the figure marked a 2.7 per cent month-on-month (m-o-m) decline compared to September’s 8.2 million passengers, it said in a statement today.

"October’s traffic reached 89.7 per cent of the level recorded in October 2019, reflecting the continued recovery in international and domestic travel following the pandemic.

"International air traffic was the key growth driver in October 2024, with 4.2 million passengers recorded, representing a robust 20.5 per cent y-o-y increase, equivalent to 95.3 per cent of the October 2019 level,” it shared.

Mavcom noted that non-Asean international traffic performed particularly well with a 25.6 per cent y-o-y increase, while Asean routes grew by 15.8 per cent y-o-y.

Domestically, October 2024 saw 3.8 million passengers, reflecting a 5.9 per cent y-o-y increase but a 5.1 per cent m-o-m decline, it said.

Mavcom noted that in September 2024, international non-Asean travel surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time, achieving a recovery rate of 101 per cent.

"The robust growth recorded in September and October was driven by increased seat capacity, new routes introductions, and visa exemptions for Chinese and Indian travellers. These measures strengthened Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for both leisure and business travellers,” it shared.

Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the aviation sector’s recovery momentum is evident in the strong y-o-y growth reported for October, building on the positive momentum achieved in September.

"The increasing confidence in Malaysia as a global travel destination, coupled with initiatives such as visa exemptions for tourists from China and India, along with the introduction of new international routes, has been instrumental in driving growth, particularly in the non-Asean market,” he said.

Visa exemptions for Chinese and Indian tourists will remain in effect until 2025, further supporting the sector’s recovery and growth. — Bernama