Cuti-Cuti September: Malaysians Planning Week-long Trips Locally And Abroad

East Malaysia favoured for domestic trips, while Southeast Asia and China cities top the list for outbound destinations.

For illustration purposes

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Malaysians are making the most of September’s upcoming long weekends and school holidays, seizing the chance to enjoy getaways both at home and abroad. This year, travels taking place around the Merdeka, Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday), and Malaysia Day public holidays span an average length of 6 to 8 days, according to leading one-stop travel platform Trip.com.

Domestic flight bookings surged by almost 50% year-on-year (y-o-y) during the Merdeka and Maulidur Rasul weekends, while outbound international flights increased by 36% y-o-y during the Malaysia Day and school holiday break. Overall, mid-haul trips were the most popular option with over 50% y-o-y growth, suggesting that travellers are making use of the extended break to visit cities farther away.

East Malaysia emerged as a standout for local trips, with multiple cities in Sabah and Sarawak included among the top 10 domestic destinations. In terms of outbound travel, long-time favourites like Singapore and Bangkok continue to draw Malaysian travellers, although destinations like Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Ho Chi Minh City are rising in popularity, signalling a shift as Malaysians seek out new experiences.

“Malaysians often look forward to the September holidays to take a break, and this year’s cluster of multiple long weekends mark a golden opportunity for them to stretch these into longer holidays both in Malaysia and abroad,” said Stephane Thong, General Manager, Trip.com Malaysia. “It’s particularly exciting to see East Malaysia shine as a top domestic choice, alongside the growing popularity of mid haul destinations in China and Southeast Asia. This reflects travellers’ eagerness to explore more diverse locations while making the most of their time off.”

Standout Booking Trends

Millennials led in contributing to travel demand across all three holiday periods, recording over 50% y-o-y growth, followed by Gen X travellers with over 22% y-o-y growth.
This year, Malaysians planned an average of 2.5 months ahead for the Malaysia Day period, but were also quick to embrace spontaneous holidays. On 23 July, when the government announced an extra holiday for Malaysia Day, Trip.com recorded a 116% y-o-y spike in bookings, underscoring Malaysians’ appetite for travel.