Domestic Visitor Arrivals in Sabah
Key Trends and Insights (2002–2025)
Executive summary
Domestic visitors have been Sabah's most important tourism segment for over two decades, consistently making up more than half of all arrivals. Malaysian travellers reached a pre-pandemic high of 2.73 million in 2019. The COVID-19 crisis then cut domestic traffic to just 363,901 in 2021 — an 87% drop from 2019.
Recovery since then has been steady. In 2025, domestic arrivals reached 2.30 million, a 21.9% increase over 2024 and within 16% of the 2019 peak. Domestic visitors made up 60.5% of all arrivals in 2025.
This report looks at the full trajectory of domestic arrivals from 2002 to 2025, covering growth phases, seasonal patterns, and the progress of recovery.
Key figures at a glance
- 2025 domestic arrivals: 2,295,000 (60.5% of all visitors)
- Year-on-year growth (2025 vs 2024): +21.9%
- Pre-pandemic peak (2019): 2,726,428
- Recovery gap: 2025 is still 15.8% below 2019 levels
- Pandemic low (2021): 363,901 — an 86.7% collapse from 2019
- Domestic share has ranged from 52% (2002) to 98% (2021)
1. Long-term trend: 2002 to 2025
The table below shows annual domestic arrivals alongside international visitors and their respective shares. Data covers 2002 to 2025 with a complete year-by-year series.
| Year | Malaysian | International | Grand Total | Dom. % | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 579,092 | 528,264 | 1,107,356 | 52.3% | — |
| 2003 | 681,742 | 569,712 | 1,251,454 | 54.5% | 17.7% |
| 2004 | 980,963 | 792,308 | 1,773,271 | 55.3% | 43.9% |
| 2005 | 1,067,677 | 761,094 | 1,828,771 | 58.4% | 8.8% |
| 2006 | 1,340,735 | 750,923 | 2,091,658 | 64.1% | 25.6% |
| 2007 | 1,490,783 | 987,660 | 2,478,443 | 60.1% | 11.2% |
| 2008 | 1,599,230 | 701,198 | 2,300,428 | 69.5% | 7.3% |
| 2009 | 1,683,924 | 562,144 | 2,246,068 | 75.0% | 5.3% |
| 2010 | 1,708,716 | 795,953 | 2,504,669 | 68.2% | 1.5% |
| 2011 | 1,998,687 | 845,910 | 2,844,597 | 70.3% | 17.0% |
| 2012 | 1,933,996 | 941,765 | 2,875,761 | 67.3% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 2,293,923 | 1,089,320 | 3,383,243 | 67.8% | 18.6% |
| 2014 | 2,234,123 | 996,522 | 3,230,645 | 69.2% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 2,197,800 | 978,426 | 3,176,226 | 69.2% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 2,299,132 | 1,128,776 | 3,427,908 | 67.1% | 4.6% |
| 2017 | 2,449,556 | 1,240,668 | 3,690,224 | 66.4% | 6.5% |
| 2018 | 2,517,846 | 1,361,567 | 3,879,413 | 64.9% | 2.8% |
| 2019 | 2,726,428 | 1,469,475 | 4,195,903 | 65.0% | 8.3% |
| 2020 | 797,176 | 180,284 | 977,460 | 81.6% | -70.8% |
| 2021 | 363,901 | 7,286 | 371,187 | 98.0% | -54.4% |
| 2022 | 1,447,639 | 280,101 | 1,727,740 | 83.8% | 297.8% |
| 2023 | 1,754,797 | 858,475 | 2,613,272 | 67.1% | 21.2% |
| 2024 | 1,882,932 | 1,264,548 | 3,147,480 | 59.8% | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 2,295,000 | 1,498,709 | 3,793,709 | 60.5% | 21.9% |
Source: Sabah Tourism Board / Immigration Department, Sabah / MASB. All figures preliminary.
2. Growth phases
Phase 1: Rapid expansion (2002 to 2007)
Domestic arrivals grew from 579,092 in 2002 to 1,490,783 in 2007 — a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 20.8%. This was Sabah's strongest growth period, coinciding with AirAsia's introduction of affordable Peninsular Malaysia–Sabah routes. Malaysian visitor numbers more than doubled in five years.
Phase 2: Consolidation and steady climb (2008 to 2013)
Growth slowed during the 2008–2009 global financial crisis. International arrivals fell sharply (701,198 in 2008 down from 987,660 in 2007), but domestic arrivals held up, rising to 1.60 million and then 1.68 million. From 2010 to 2013, domestic numbers climbed steadily to 2.29 million, crossing the 2-million mark for the first time in 2011.
Phase 3: Plateau and stagnation (2014 to 2016)
Domestic arrivals plateaued at around 2.20 to 2.30 million, dipping slightly in 2014 and 2015 before recovering to 2.30 million in 2016. Several factors may have contributed: the June 2015 earthquake on Mount Kinabalu, security concerns in parts of eastern Sabah, and possible effects of the tourism tax. The domestic share of total arrivals stayed below 68% during this period.
Phase 4: New peak (2017 to 2019)
Domestic numbers climbed steadily from 2.45 million in 2017 to 2.52 million in 2018 and peaked at 2.73 million in 2019, an 8.3% annual increase. Expanded airline capacity, the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia domestic tourism campaigns, and Sabah's growing reputation as a destination all likely played a part. The domestic share held at around 65% to 66% of total arrivals throughout this period.
Phase 5: Pandemic collapse (2020 to 2021)
COVID-19 brought an unprecedented disruption. In 2020, domestic arrivals fell 70.8% to 797,176. In 2021, they dropped further to 363,901 — the lowest figure in the dataset, 86.7% below the 2019 peak. Movement control orders, interstate travel bans, and reduced airline capacity were the main causes. Sabah's reliance on air links from Peninsular Malaysia made it particularly exposed to interstate travel restrictions.
Phase 6: Recovery (2022 to 2025)
Recovery has been steady but uneven. 2022 saw domestic arrivals jump to 1.45 million (a 298% rise from 2021, aided by the full reopening of borders in April 2022). Growth continued to 1.75 million in 2023 (+21.2%), 1.88 million in 2024 (+7.3%), and 2.30 million in 2025 (+21.9%). The 2025 figure surpasses every year except 2019, leaving a gap of about 431,000 visitors or 15.8% below the pre-pandemic record.
3. Domestic share of total arrivals
The domestic share of Sabah's total visitor arrivals has ranged from 52.3% (2002) to 98.0% (2021). In normal years, the share typically falls between 60% and 70%. A high domestic share means Sabah's tourism sector is somewhat less exposed to exchange rate movements, geopolitical developments, and visa policy changes than destinations that rely more heavily on international visitors.
During the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the domestic share spiked to 81.6% and 98.0% respectively, as international borders were effectively closed while some domestic travel remained possible. By 2025, the share returned to 60.5%, close to the long-run average but below the 2019 level of 65.0%. The lower share partly reflects the faster recovery of international arrivals (up 18.5% in 2025) compared with earlier recovery years when domestic travel led the rebound.
4. Seasonal patterns
The table below compares monthly domestic arrivals in 2019 (pre-pandemic peak), 2023, 2024, and 2025 to reveal seasonal demand patterns.
| Month | 2019 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2025 vs 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 213,227 | 128,180 | 140,688 | 167,670 | -21.4% |
| Feb | 214,704 | 132,140 | 160,302 | 189,028 | -12.0% |
| Mar | 234,629 | 158,349 | 154,671 | 200,284 | -14.6% |
| Apr | 230,795 | 146,755 | 151,710 | 159,108 | -31.1% |
| May | 206,217 | 140,806 | 154,797 | 162,330 | -21.3% |
| Jun | 209,161 | 146,870 | 149,997 | 184,160 | -12.0% |
| Jul | 227,310 | 146,029 | 143,103 | 202,585 | -10.9% |
| Aug | 243,688 | 139,724 | 171,703 | 161,383 | -33.8% |
| Sep | 209,360 | 148,426 | 197,531 | 237,383 | 13.4% |
| Oct | 223,093 | 169,456 | 141,192 | 168,464 | -24.5% |
| Nov | 231,246 | 136,453 | 140,205 | 192,825 | -16.6% |
| Dec | 282,998 | 161,609 | 177,033 | 269,780 | -4.7% |
| Total | 2,726,428 | 1,754,797 | 1,882,932 | 2,295,000 | -15.8% |
Several seasonal patterns stand out. December is consistently the strongest month for domestic arrivals, driven by year-end school holidays and the festive season. In 2025, December recorded 269,780 domestic arrivals, the highest single month in any year across the dataset. September is also strong, benefiting from the Malaysia Day holiday period and school breaks.
April and May tend to be weaker months. In 2025, April and May recorded 159,108 and 162,330 domestic arrivals respectively, both well below the monthly average of 191,250. This mid-year trough reflects the absence of major public holidays and school breaks between the Hari Raya period and the mid-year holidays.
Comparing 2025 with 2019 month by month, August stands out as the month furthest from recovery (−33.8%), while September (+13.4%) and November (−16.6%) show a narrowing gap. The overall annual shortfall of 15.8% suggests that, if airline capacity continues to grow and domestic marketing holds, the 2019 peak may be within reach in the next year or two.
5. Structural observations
Domestic tourism as a stabiliser
Over the period covered by this data, domestic arrivals have tended to hold up better than international arrivals during downturns. In 2008–2009, international visitors dropped 43.1% while domestic visitors grew 13.0% (both measured against 2007). During the pandemic, both segments fell sharply, but domestic travel picked up faster: by 2022, domestic arrivals had returned to 53.1% of 2019 levels while international arrivals were at 19.1%.
Airline capacity as a binding constraint
Every significant shift in domestic arrivals has coincided with changes in airline capacity. The 2002–2007 surge followed AirAsia's entry and expansion. The 2020–2021 collapse came alongside route suspensions and travel bans. The 2022–2025 recovery has tracked the restoration of flight frequencies. With Kota Kinabalu International Airport serving as the main gateway for most Malaysian visitors, seat capacity on the KUL–BKI corridor appears to be one of the most important variables for domestic arrivals.
Competition from outbound travel
The 15.8% gap between 2025 domestic arrivals and 2019 levels is worth reading alongside the expansion of outbound travel options for Malaysians. Since 2023, low-cost airlines have added international routes from KLIA and other hubs, giving Malaysian travellers more affordable access to destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea. This competition for the Malaysian leisure traveller may be a factor in the slower domestic recovery.
Changing visitor profile
Monthly patterns suggest a shift in the domestic visitor profile. The December spike has become more pronounced in recent years (269,780 in December 2025 versus 282,998 in December 2019), while mid-year months have weakened. This concentration of demand creates operational challenges for the hospitality sector: overcapacity in low season and price pressure in peak season. Spreading demand more evenly throughout the year remains a structural challenge.
6. Outlook and risks
If the current recovery trajectory continues and no major new disruptions occur, domestic arrivals could return to 2019 levels (2.73 million) by 2026 or 2027. That would require annual growth of roughly 8 to 10%.
The main risks to this outlook include rising outbound competition from Southeast Asian destinations offering strong value, potential airline capacity cuts due to fuel costs or fleet constraints, economic headwinds affecting Malaysian household spending, and any resurgence of travel disruptions (health crises, natural disasters, or security concerns).
On the other hand, growing interest in nature, adventure, and cultural tourism is relevant to what Sabah offers. Further investment in airport infrastructure, hotel capacity, and digital marketing could help close the remaining gap with 2019.
7. Data notes
All data is sourced from the Research Division, Sabah Tourism Board, based on records from the Immigration Department of Sabah and Malaysia Airports Sabah Berhad (MASB). All annual figures are marked as preliminary ℗. Malaysian arrivals are based on movements within Malaysia. The dataset covers every year from 2002 to 2025 inclusive.