Qualampur: Domestic tourism and hospitality sector continue to face its biggest obstacle-rapid shortage of skilled workers-because many employees left the industry during the Kovid-19 epidemic, either due to job loss or change in more stable areas.
As the boundaries opened again and the demand for travel increased, the industry has fought to keep pace with the need of trained, service-oriented personnel.
Pratibha drain has affected day-to-day operation and has affected the overall quality of guest experiences, which is important in maintaining Malaysia’s competition as a preferred tourist destination.
Hilton Hotels Marketing and Communications Director, National Marketing Office, Eugene Olofse said that it has proved difficult to rebuild this skilled workforce, especially sector competes with other industries that offer better job safety, high wages, or more flexible working conditions.
He said that efforts are underway to attract new talents through apsculing programs, encouragement and education-industry participation, but take time to get the results.
“Without a strong pipeline of skilled professionals, the recovery risks of the industry are being reduced, especially gear to welcome the increase in tourists’ arrival in the coming years as Malaysia.” Sunbiz,
Asked about the approach to domestic tourism during Malaysia year 2026, he expressed confidence that the current tourism would remain boom, especially near the medium period.
“First, there is so much variety in its travel sites, cultural heritage and experiences in Malaysia; we have really deteriorated to choice. The number of available local options, the global value growth and determined against external pressures, will definitely keep the domestic appeal too much.
“As local cities get more visitors, we have to address some major issues from infrastructure to reduce traffic.
“It is important for investing and developing our workforce with the development of the industry. We are facilitating the adoption of digital platforms by local operators to provide them the necessary risks, and we are giving a significant emphasis on stability practices to ensure the conservation of this remarkable natural destination for future generations.”
Commenting on domestic tourism segments, experienced the strongest development, Caesar Indra, President of Traveloka cited the conclusions from the company’s white paper, re -defined the journey: APAC understands and considering the diverse requirements of passengers.
He said that for Malaysian travelers, primary motivation remains comfort and rest, with 31% priority to holiday-centric experiences.
After this reaction, tourist attractions are demanded for 20% travel and 13% express preference for nature-based destinations.
“Our data reflects the strong demand for natural destinations such as the mountain range, beaches and coastal regions, followed by historical and cultural experiences. These trends reflect a deep desire among the Malaysian people to re-connect with nature and re-find the country’s legacy, a change that strengthens post-pandemicals,” he said.
In the first quarter of 2025, Travloka data shows that Kedah (Langkavi), Penang and Saba remain top domestic destinations.
Interest is also increasing in emerging cities such as Kota Bahru and Alor Setter, with the highest number of flight booking, followed by Kota Bahru, Langkavi and Penang.
“In Traveloka, we see this change as an exciting opportunity to support the diversification of Malaysia’s domestic tourism scenario.
“As travelers seek both famous and emerging destinations rapidly, our technology-operated platforms are specificly deployed to meet these developed preferences, which provides spontaneous access, recommendations and attractive deals to empower the Malaysian people to strengthen their country,” Indra said Indra.
Asked how they are expected to continue domestic tourism boom, said that Travloka believes it will grow in Malaysia.
However, to maintain this speed requires a deliberate and data-operated approach, Indra said, the priorities of the passengers are developing rapidly and the tourism stakeholders must adapt it accordingly.
In 2024 in the fourth quarter, Malaysia recorded 66.8 million domestic visitors-an increase of 21.4%-when domestic tourism expenditure increased from 21.9% to RM29 billion, which according to the statistics department, reflects a strong rebound in travel and consumer expenses.
To maintain this speed, the tourism sector must be suitable for developing passenger expectations.
According to Traveloka, six strategic priorities will be important for maintaining tourism development: personalizing travel experiences through artificial intelligence and data analytics, encouraging travel to low-knowledgeable sites through dynamic pricing, and strengthening data security and transparency.
Additional focus areas include making durable travel options more accessible and competitive price, inclusive payment solutions such as mobile wallets and cache-friendly options, and curateing locally relevant packages that highlight Malaysia’s culture, natural beauty and safety.
