As Kuala Lumpur Tower reopens under new management, a controversial new ticketing policy dramatically increases prices for foreign tourists while slashing rates for locals – a move that could undermine Malaysia’s tourism goals ahead of the 2026 campaign.

Kuala Lumpur Tower, one of Malaysia’s most iconic landmarks, reopened on April 26 under new management by LSH Service Master Sdn Bhd (LSHSM). As part of the relaunch, the operator has introduced a sharply divided two-tier ticket pricing system that significantly reduces rates for Malaysians, while hiking prices for international visitors by over 20% for the Sky Deck and up to 33% for the Observation Deck.

Locals with a MyKad will now pay RM50 for the Sky Deck, while international adults will pay RM140 — nearly three times the local rate. Children’s ticket prices exhibit a similar disparity, with parents of non-Malaysian kids having to pay a whopping RM80 for a child’s ticket.

WHAT MESSAGE DOES THIS SEND TO TOURISTS?

This openly discriminatory pricing decision, coming just as Malaysia ramps up preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, risks undermining the country’s image as a warm, welcoming destination. While the move is supposedly meant to boost local accessibility, the stark pricing gap unquestionably sends the wrong signal to international tourists, who form the bulk of daily visitors.

Dual pricing schemes like this may errantly appeal to populist domestic sensibilities (ignoring the fact that there are many wealthy Malaysians and also many international budget travellers), the steep increase for foreigners could be perceived as discriminatory or exploitative, especially given the massive gap between prices for locals and those for foreign tourists.

Moreover, this reopening follows a messy legal dispute between the government, the former operator (MKLSB), and the new concessionaire, adding further controversy to an already fraught transition. As tourism becomes increasingly competitive, pricing strategies that alienate core market segments may do more harm than good — especially when the sector is expected to showcase Malaysia at its best.

OUR THOUGHTS

We are no fans of discriminatory two-tier pricing in general, especially when there is no taxpayer-subsidised element in place. (For example, if a service or attraction is funded in whole or in part by Malaysian taxpayers, then a legitimate argument can be made for lowering the cost for Malaysian citizens, and for, we would argue, working resident expats who also pay taxes here.) For a privately held attraction, however, where any foreign visitor is wholly equal to any Malaysian citizen, charging the visitor more – especially two to three times more – is outrageous, and should, in our view, be called out by officials in the Tourism Ministry, even if it cannot be forcibly curtailed. Two-tier pricing sends a poor message indeed in the run-up to Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

We call on the new management of KL Tower to rethink this blatantly unfair pricing scheme in the interest of showing that Malaysia is a welcoming and equitable travel destination, not one in which visitors are going to be gouged and discriminated against at every turn.

Absent that, we would suggest visitors to Kuala Lumpur avoid the KL Tower and offer here a much better alternative: If you’re a family of four, a single visit to KL Tower will cost you RM440. We recommend taking that money and spending it in one of the city centre’s several excellent rooftop restaurants, from Mesa on 51 and Sabayon to Torito and Charr. Those without children, meanwhile, can also opt for a sky-high bar experience at SkyBar, Vertigo, Satellite, Canopy, Sky51, Marini’s on 57, or any of several rooftop bars. You may not be quite as high as KL Tower, but you’ll get an excellent dining and drinking experience with stunning city views all the same.