Malaysia received 6.48 million tourist arrivals in the first quarter (Jan-March) of this year, said Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

The Masjid Tanah Member of Parliament said Malaysia received 3.24 million tourist arrivals from Singapore, followed by Indonesia (671,211) and China (379,265) and the rest from other countries.

"However these figures have declined from 7.91 million tourists received in the first quarter of last year.

"We have our own strategies and plans to increase tourist arrivals to the country by year's end," she told reporters after presenting donation of glasses to the needy in her constituency here today.

Malaysia aimed an overall 29.4 million tourist arrivals this year in conjunction with 'Malaysia Year of Festivals' 2015, a continuation of last year's Visit Malaysia Year.

Meanwhile Mas Ermieyati said over 2.4 million people visited Malaysia's Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015 which provided various types of unique food as well as arts and cultural performances from the ministry.

She said Malaysian food was listed as among the three best food after Italy and Colombia at the expo, which was participated by 147 countries and would end at the end of this month.

The expo was opened since May.