The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed how we live, prompting swift and stringent responses from governments worldwide to control the virus from spreading rapidly through lockdowns, travel restrictions, and social distancing protocols, which have severely impacted the tourism industry. As the world transitions into a post-pandemic era, the tourism sector faces challenges in achieving economic revival and sustainability, including Malaysia. Therefore, understanding the factors shaping Malaysians’ domestic and international travel intentions are crucial for policy makers and industry practitioners. Thus, this study examined the effects of vigilant of emergence of new COVID-19 variants, perceived benefits of travelling, self-efficacy, and willingness to support destinations on travel intentions. The role of variant risk attitude in moderating the factors of travel intentions is also investigated. An online survey was conducted and a total of 200 responses were collected. The results found that perceived benefits of travelling positively influences both local and international travel intentions, while self-efficacy positively affects international travel intention and willingness to support destinations positively associates with local travel intention only. In addition, variant risk attitude was found to only moderate the relationship between willingness to support destinations and international travel intention. The findings of this study provide policy makers and tourism businesses with actionable insights to navigate the evolving landscape of tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic. By understanding travelers’ motivations and preferences, tourism stakeholders can develop targeted strategies to foster revitalization and promote sustainability within the Malaysian tourism ecosystem, thereby paving the way for a vibrant and resilient post-pandemic future.