More Malaysians Embracing Travel to Secondary Cities and Longer-Haul Destinations This Hari Raya Puasa

KUALA LUMPUR, 7 April 2025 – This year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a huge demand driver for international and domestic travel. According to Trip.com, a leading one-stop travel service provider, international travel bookings by Malaysians for this year’s Aidilfitri season (29 March to 6 April 2025) grew by 111% while domestic travel bookings doubled (+103%) compared to the year before (6 to 14 April 2024). The latest insights, drawn from Trip.com booking data, also showed that Malaysian travellers are increasingly favouring secondary cities and further-flung destinations for their Hari Raya travels.

“Hari Raya is a meaningful time for many Malaysians — a time to reunite with loved ones, reflect, and recharge. We’re seeing that this festive season is also becoming a moment for travel discovery, where many are choosing to explore new places while reconnecting with family and friends,” said Stephane Thong, General Manager, Trip.com Malaysia. “At Trip.com, we’re committed to making travel planning simple and seamless, and our tech-driven tools like Trip.Best help Malaysians discover unique destinations and experiences that match what matters most to them — be it comfort, culture, or connection.”

Secondary Cities, Long-Haul Destinations Grow in Popularity for Hari Raya Travels

While Bangkok and Singapore used to top the list as the most popular international destinations among travellers from Malaysia, cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou have surged in popularity – ranking as the first and third most popular cities for international travel during Hari Raya season this year (Table 1). In addition, demand for travel to destinations like Kunming, Osaka, Chongqing, Suzhou, Chengdu, Busan and Guangzhou increased by between 237% to 351% year-on-year (Table 2), showing Malaysians’ desire to head down paths less travelled for new discoveries.

Beyond visiting destinations in Asia Pacific, Malaysians are also venturing further – bookings for travel to Spain, Italy, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates and the Maldives grew by 300% or more compared to the year before. Some took their journeys even further to New York in the United States of America – the furthest destination booked by a Malaysian traveller this Eid Al Fitr. This signals a shift in preferences, with Malaysians venturing to further-flung destinations rich in culture, nature and novelty.

More Booking Travel Further in Advance, Theme Park Attractions Popular with Malaysians

This year, Malaysian travellers are booking their travel further in advance, with the average booking window rising from 42.63 days last year to 48.10 days this year. Trip.com’s data revealed that Malaysian travellers spent 14.5% more on international flights and hotels compared to the same period last year, signalling a growing appetite for international travel.

When it came to experiences, theme park attractions stood out as clear favourites among Malaysian travellers. All five of the most popular attractions booking for this year’s Hari Raya travels are for major theme parks in the Asia Pacific region (Table 3). These attractions continue to resonate with Malaysians for their blend of family-friendly entertainment and iconic urban views.

Note: The trends highlighted in this media release is based on international flights, hotels and attractions booking data on Trip.com, for travel during 29 March to 6 April 2025 and 6 to 14 April 2024