This was due to higher passenger numbers and aircraft movements, the company said today, Nikkei Asian Review reported.

In a stock exchange filing, the airport operator logged a net profit of RM236 million in the fiscal year ended Dec 31, compared with RM70 million the year before.

It said the net profit was achieved despite a 6.8% increase in costs.

Revenue rose 11.5% to RM4.65 billion.

Passenger traffic grew by 8.5% to 96.5 million, a record for the group.

Malaysia Airports operates nearly 40 airports in the country.

KL International Airport handled 58.5 million passengers, or 60% of the total traffic.

Of this number, 30.3 million passed through klia 2.

Easing of visa rules for Chinese and Indian tourists, and traffic of Mecca-bound pilgrims helped to increase passenger travel.

Total aircraft traffic grew by 4.5%, supported mainly by international flights.

On a quarterly basis, net profit declined by 16.4% to RM27 million in the October-December period, dragged down by the increase in total costs.

Revenue from overseas grew 14% to RM1.2 billion. Malaysia Airports operates the wholly-owned Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and the New Doha International Airport in Qatar.

Passenger traffic in Turkey grew 5.6% to 31.3 million people, while aircraft movements declined by 4%.

For 2018, the group projected 6.3% growth in passenger traffic.

Asian travellers will form 75% of its 100 million target.

Nikkei said growth will also be supported by a tourism promotion campaign and the Digital Free Trade Zone at KLIA — a partnership with Chinese online retailer Alibaba Group Holding aimed at turning KL into an e-commerce transshipment hub for the region.

Shares of Malaysia Airports rose 3% to RM8.89.