KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 -- Latest official data showed local tourism boomed last year, as the number of Malaysians travelling rose and spending increased, just months before a deadly coronavirus outbreak sent the global economy plunging.

Domestic tourism expenditure rose 11 per cent to RM103 billion in 2019 compared to RM92.6 billion the previous year, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia's (DOSM) figures released today.

The increase in domestic tourists had likely helped push the expenditure numbers up. DOSM said local travellers climbed 8.1 per cent to 239.1 million people compared to 221.3 million in 2018.

Trips made in that year saw a 9.9 per cent increase.

A third of the spending went to shopping while fuel and food e...