Amadeus data shows stronger international arrivals and cross-border travel between Malaysia and Singapore around two consecutive Formula 1 race weekends in October 2026.
Back-to-back Formula 1 race weekends in Malaysia and Singapore are driving stronger F1 travel demand across Southeast Asia. New data from Amadeus Travel Intelligence shows higher international air arrivals into both markets. Cross-border travel between Malaysia and Singapore is also increasing.
Malaysia will host its Formula 1 race at Sepang International Circuit from 2 to 4 October 2026. The Singapore Grand Prix will follow at Marina Bay from 9 to 11 October. With only five days between the two events, travellers appear to be combining both races within wider regional trips.
Cross-border travel rises between the two races
Air arrivals from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore are up 74% year on year between 5 and 11 October. Amadeus said the increase points to stronger movement between the two host markets during the race period.
The trend also reflects the growing role of events in destination choice. According to the data cited by Amadeus, 15% of leisure travellers globally say events influence where they travel. Major sporting events are therefore becoming a stronger factor in trip planning.
Long-haul markets show strong growth
Malaysia is attracting demand from both regional and long-haul source markets. The top 10 origin markets for arrivals during race week are Australia, India, the UK, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan.
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The UK is the fastest-growing international source market for arrivals into Kuala Lumpur, up 49% year on year. Australia follows with growth of 40%, while Singapore is up 38%. The figures point to strong interest from travellers beyond Malaysia’s immediate neighbours.
Singapore is seeing a similar pattern ahead of its Grand Prix. Arrivals between 5 and 11 October are up 88% from the United States and 73% from the UK. New Zealand is up 54%, while Taiwan is up 43%.
Stay patterns differ between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
Amadeus data also suggests that the two races are influencing trip length. In Kuala Lumpur, stays of one to five nights are up 17% year on year during the race period. Medium and longer stays have both fallen by 8%.
Singapore is showing the opposite pattern. Trips lasting six to 13 nights are up 49% year on year. The increase suggests that some visitors are building longer holidays around the race rather than travelling only for the event weekend.
Solo travellers and couples lead growth
Solo and couple travel also accounts for a significant share of the increase. Solo arrivals into Kuala Lumpur are up 37% year on year, while arrivals among couples have risen 11%.
Singapore shows even stronger growth in these segments. Solo arrivals are up 44%, while couple arrivals are up 24%. Amadeus said the pattern is consistent with the wider expansion of sports tourism.
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Bing Han Kee, Regional Vice President, Travel Intelligence, Hospitality, Asia Pacific at Amadeus, said:
“Back-to-back races in Malaysia and Singapore could offer F1 fans an opportunity to combine two race weekends into one Southeast Asian journey. For the travel industry, the opportunity extends beyond the events themselves. Understanding how fans and travelers are looking to move between these markets can help airlines, hotels, and other hospitality businesses build experiences around longer stays, multi-city itineraries, and the broader trip, while identifying opportunities that drive greater visitor spend,”
The data highlights how F1 travel demand can extend beyond race-weekend attendance. Airlines, hotels and tourism businesses may benefit from travellers combining events with longer stays and multi-city itineraries. The Malaysia-Singapore pairing also shows how major sporting events can stimulate cross-border movement within the region.