Visit Malaysia Year 2014 Being Promoted At ATF.

Date: 21 January 2013

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 Being Promoted At ATF.

VIENTIANE (Bernama) - Fresh from the launching of Visit Malaysia Year 2014 in Kuala Lumpur two days ago, the Malaysian Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen took the opportunity to promote the campaign at the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF), here.

She told the Asean Tourism Ministers' Meeting about the campaign which coincide with Malaysia hosting next year's ATF in Kuching in January. "It will be a very good exposure for Malaysia as all tourism ministers from Asean, China, Korea, Japan and India will be attending ATF in Malaysia next year," she told Bernama after attending the Asean Tourism Ministers' Meeting, here.

She said travel agents, tour operators and media from all over the world would also be attending the ATF in Malaysia next year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launched the VMY2014 at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. Najib had wanted the VMY2014 be turned into a national mission involving all parties in order to achieve the target of receiving 28 million tourists next year. The premier had said Malaysia needed not only physical infrastructure but also soft infrastructure as well, which is, Malaysian who are always cheerful, courteous and helpful so that visitors experience a truly memorable time in Malaysia.

Dr Ng said she had also invited tourism ministers from Asean as well as from China, Japan, South Korea and India to participate in the international travel exchange meeting to be held in Malaysia next April. "We called on them to hold their respective country's week during the meeting in showcasing their art, food and craft products. We want to position Malaysia as an international tourism centre," she said.

On the major achievements of the two-day Asean Tourism Ministers' Meeting which concluded today, Dr Ng said Asean and India have concluded a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation between them after three years of negotiation. The conclusion mark the completion of tourism cooperation between Asean and its dialogue partners, she told Bernama after co-chairing the Asean-India Tourism Ministers' Meeting, at a hotel. Prior to this, Asean has inked tourism cooperation with China, Japan and South Korea.

She said the Asean-India tourism cooperation among others would look into the possibilities of introducing a common Asean visa for tourists where tourists would only need to get one visa instead of visa from respective 10 Asean countries when visiting the region. "We will discuss further the matter with Asean secretariat," she said, adding that the cooperation would also cover the exchange of human resources and media personnel in further promoting tourism by both sides.

Meanwhile, Dr Ng also expressed condolence for the demise of Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chumpol Silpa-Archa who is also the Tourism and Sports Minister. Chumpol died of heart failure at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok at 9.39am Monday.

By Jamaluddin Muhammad

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

FATA on recruitment drive for larger global presence.

Date: 22 January 2013

FATA on recruitment drive for larger global presence.

THE Federation of ASEAN Travel Associations (FATA) wants to expand its membership base to cover Asia-Pacific in order to play a more effective role on the global platform. However, for that to happen, FATA will first have to garner support from other travel associations in the region.

Its president, Mohd  Khalid Harun, said he would go to Japan at the end of this month to meet with counterparts there, before proceeding to do the same in China. “We have to go country by country to promote the idea and get support.” 

Khalid explained:  “(We) are small, with only 10 members. We want to create a bigger association comprising members from Asia-Pacific in order to be a strong global player and to make decisions on travel  (consultant)-related issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region.”

As for coming up against the region’s other established association, he said FATA’s concept and reach would differ from PATA’s, “as we will focus solely on issues concerning travel and tour operators in the Asia-Pacific”. “If all goes well, we hope to form the Asia-Pacific Travel Association in a year’s time.”

By S Puvaneswary, reporting from ASEAN Tourism Forum

Copyright @ TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd © 2013

Sarawak to fly the ATF flag next year.

Date: 21 January 2013

Sarawak to fly the ATF flag next year.

SARAWAK will get the chance to showcase its ecotourism offerings next year when the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) heads there for the first time.  Bearing the theme ASEAN Advancing Tourism Together, ATF 2014 will be held in Kuching, capital of the eastern Malaysian state, from January 16-23.

The ASEAN Travel Exchange (TRAVEX) will be held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, where some 1,000 regional sellers and 600 international buyers will congregate. Tourism ministers and heads of national tourism organisations will put their heads together at the five-star Pullman Kuching.

Malaysia’s minister of tourism, Ng Yen Yen, said: “Hosting ATF 2014 is timely, as it will be the first international tourism event of the year in Malaysia, and will help usher in Visit Malaysia Year.”

Ng added that Sarawak, home to the world’s oldest tropical rainforest, would make an “apt venue” for ATF 2014. “Delegates can discuss pertinent issues on sustainable development and more in a remote destination, surrounded by nature, which will provide for greater concentration.

“We chose to host ATF in Sarawak as we would like to give the destination greater exposure. It has great ecotourism products and good infrastructure for MICE. By organising ATF there, we hope to showcase the destination’s natural beauty, infrastructure for business events and diverse tourism products to those looking for adventure, heritage and culture.”

The minister said excursions and post-show tours to East and Peninsular Malaysia would provide an opportunity for ATF delegates to witness the developments in the country since 2005, when Malaysia last hosted the rotating annual event in Langkawi. “We wish to present Sarawak as a model case study to be emulated by overseas tour operators and planners on how a secondary destination can build on its strengths – blending culture and the environment – to become successful in tourism,” Ng said.

By S Puvaneswary, reporting from ASEAN Tourism Forum 2013, Vientiane

Copyright TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd © 2013

ASEAN takes second online stab with new travel site.

Date: 21 January 2013

ASEAN takes second online stab with new travel site.

THE highest powers in ASEAN's tourism bodies will debut a new website today to promote intra-ASEAN travel and tour packages, which some say overlaps with a website launched by the ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) in 2010.  The brainchild of the region’s tourism ministers, Aseantourism.travel features a commercial component that contains 130 South-east Asian tourism products that have been endorsed by regional leaders.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism secretary-general, Ong Hong Peng, who was also the NTO head for Malaysia and chairman of the Product Development Working Group at the 37th Meeting of ASEAN NTOs on January 18, said the next step of the project would see the creation of tour packages combining two or more ASEAN countries and promotion on the new site. The website also provides information related to the region’s tourism industry such as policies, facts and figures, and marketing initiatives.

Sansern Ngaorungsi, deputy governor Asia and South Pacific Market at Tourism Authority of Thailand and chairman of the Marketing Working Group, said Aseantourism.travel, developed at a cost of US$20,000, allows member countries to log in and update content.

However, some travel trade players regard the new website as a duplicate of ASEANTA’s online portal, SoutheastAsia.org, first promoted at ITB Berlin in 2010. A source close to the SoutheastAsia.org project said the new website would “confuse the public who will not know which is the latest”. The source added: “There are more than 2,000 tour packages on SoutheastAsia.org, while the new website has only 130 (products). (The former) must be promoted further. ASEANTA may lack funds for promotion, so ASEAN NTOs should come in and allocate a budget for support.”

ASEANTA board member, Oudet Souvannavong, admitted that SoutheastAsia.org was not up-to-date as there was a “lack of (manpower) capacity”. He said ASEANTA might consider heeding suggestions from some members to privatise the website. That said, Oudet does not see the new site as competition. He said: “From a business standpoint, the more portals, the better.”

By S Puvaneswary, reporting from ASEAN Tourism Forum 2013, Vientiane

Copyright @ TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd © 2013

India Can Emulate Malaysia In Tourism Sector.

Date: 21 January 2013

India Can Emulate Malaysia In Tourism Sector.

NEW DELHI (Bernama) - India can emulate Malaysia's success story in the Tourism sector if the industry works together, says Creative Travel Joint Managing Director, Rohit Kohli. It is amazing to see how the industry works cohesively in Malaysia, the government, Tourism Malaysia and the aviation industry, he said.

"Malaysia has done a fantastic job as a destination, India can emulate that," he told Bernama. He noted that Tourism Malaysia makes it a point to travel and promote the country in every destination that Malaysia Airlines (MAS) or AirAsia flies. "In India, they are all going in 50 different directions at the same time," said Rohit on the industry's inefficiency.

The "Malaysia Truly Asia," campaign is another success story, he said. "That is another incredible step that the government took and the whole sector worked together," he said. Malaysia took the campaign to the second level and supplemented with products to give it a strong impact and continuity, he said.

Although the "Incredible India" campaign by the Indian government was equally good, it lacked follow-up action, he said. "It was a campaign that the government did a fairly successful job but they didn't go to the second level, which is to supplement it with products," he said. So, there are a lot of things that India can learn from more matured markets, especially on how to work together, said Rohit.

In India, it is a case of not only poor infrastructure but also incoherent policies that becomes a stumbling block in developing the industry, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India's President, Subhash Verma, said. Cross-border taxes within the country is one the issues that need to be addressed, he said, adding that travelling has to be made seamless and hassle- free.

"Air ticket price is another factor. It is exorbitantly priced. It is cheaper to fly to Bangkok or Dubai than to a destination within the country," said Verma.

In 2011, Malaysia received 24.7 million tourists. It aims to attract 26.8 million tourists during the Visit Malaysia Year 2013-2014. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Malaysia has been the 9th most-visited country in the world for three consecutive years from 2009 to 2011.

By Saraswathi Muniappan

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ASEAN ministers discuss tourism cooperation, creating pan-ASEAN tourist visa.

Date: 20 January 2013

ASEAN ministers discuss tourism cooperation, creating pan-ASEAN tourist visa.

VIENTIANE, Laos - Representatives of the ten ASEAN nations met on Sunday in Laos' capital of Vientiane to launch the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), where they pledged to expand tourism cooperation and discussed creating a pan-ASEAN tourist visa.

The ATF, which was first held in 1981, is designed to facilitate and develop tourism promotion and cooperation across the region. A total of 150 tourism ministers and officials from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam attended the meeting.

Joining them will be 1,450 delegates, including 800 ASEAN exhibitors, 400 international buyers, 150 international and local media as well as 100 tourism trade visitors. Delegates will engage in bilateral talks, sellers and buyers meetings, and receive presentations from various ASEAN nations on their tourism industries.

According to a press release from the ATF, ASEAN leaders will consider the possibility of creating a single pan-ASEAN visa for some member countries to encourage tourists to visit. Leaders have already agreed to put more funding into developing tourism, source more financing from dialogue partners, and to promote tourism in the region.

"As an important economic sector, ASEAN cooperation in tourism has gone from strength to strength," said Lao Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Dr Bosengkham Vongdara. Vongdara cited the increase in total international visitors arriving in the region from 73.7 million people in 2010 to 81.2 million in 2011 as evidence of this cooperation.

Tourism is of particular significance to Laos, one of the least developed countries in South East Asia with few domestic industries. With a population of only 6.3 million people, Laos received approximately half this figure in tourist arrivals in 2012. This contributed significantly to economic growth and development in the country. Arrivals are expected to reach five million by 2015.

Across the various ASEAN member nations, tourism has risen between eight and 29 percent from 2010 2011. The ATF will run from Jan. 18 24.

Copyrights @ 2001-2012 eTurboNews, Inc.

UPM Launched First University Tour Package.

Date: 19 January 2013

UPM Launched First University Tour Package.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Friday launched their Mother Nature Tour Trail in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY) Promotional Campaign in Bukit Jalil here.

The tour package makes UPM the first university to offer the tourism package by allowing tourists to explore the university's vast natural surrounding located at its campus in Serdang.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Datuk Ir Dr. Mohd Salleh Jaafar, said the package offered was not the usual tour packages in the market. "There are seven locations selected specially for the package that offers from half day tours up to three days and two nights," he said.

Dr Mohd Salled said the packages were priced between RM 99 to RM 370 per person. Three tour agents will start promoting the package, namely TM Tours and Travel, Mitra Kembara and Poto Travel and Tours.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, who launched the tour package, said 30 UPM students had been trained for the tour package and this would help expand the tourism industry further by exposing UPM students to the industry.

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

Tourism Malaysia to cut offices abroad.

Date: 19 January 2013

Tourism Malaysia to cut offices abroad.

NEW DELHI - Tourism Malaysia plans to cut the number of its offices aboard to reduce operating costs. Its director for the International Marketing Division (South Asia/West Asia/Africa), Zulkifly Md Said, said there were at present 44 offices globally, of which 38 are full-fledged agencies with staff from the headquarters in Malaysia.

“Malaysia has the highest number of tourism offices (globally). Hence, the Public Service Department has asked us to look into the matter,” he added. The plan is to reduce the numbers as well as turn some of the full-fledged offices to just a marketing agency, he told Bernama at the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) Exhibition, which ended here yesterday.

It is understood that the offices that might face closure are Stockholm in Sweden, Vancouver (Canada), Phuket (Thailand) and Milan in Italy. “We are also looking at appointing general sales agents (GSA) to operate in some of the markets. For example, in the eastern part of India,” said Zulkifly.

Among others, a GSA office in Calcutta is currently being worked out. Appointing GSAs would help reduce both operating and promotional costs, as it would be on shared basis. “We will provide the support that is needed. They have to be committed and ensure the partnership works and targets are met,” said Zulkifly.

Malaysia is one the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. The tourism sector contributes almost 12 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Malaysia aims to attract 26.8 million tourists during the Visit Malaysia Year 2013-2014. - Bernama

Copyright @ 2013 The Malaysian Insider.

Malaysia: In search of broader tourist base.

Date 20 January 2013

Malaysia: In search of broader tourist base.

A focus to attract more tourists from growing regional markets will spearhead Malaysia’s efforts to boost visitor numbers in 2013. However, efforts to increase arrivals from certain key segments may not be enough to drive visitor figures up across the board.

Despite ranking as one of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations, the market base remains narrow, with more than half the visitors coming from neighbouring Singapore. This year will see Malaysia focus on broadening its reach to tap into emerging markets that are demonstrating significant growth, such as India.

Final figures still to be pub­lished are expected to show that despite global economic uncertainty, visitor numbers to Malaysia from India rose 36 per cent in 2012, according to international media in mid-January. A total of 514,926 tourists entered Malaysia from India in the first three quarters of 2012, already up 2.6 per cent on full-year visitor numbers for 2011, according to the Tourist Development Corporation of Malaysia (TDC).

Zulkifly Md Said, the director of the international marketing division for South Asia, East Asia and Africa at the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB), told reporters he expected the country to have met or topped its target of welcoming around 700,000 arrivals from India in 2012. Malaysia aims to push the number up to 780,000 this year, Said added.

The rise in visitor numbers from India is thought to be due to a combination of improved connectivity between the two countries and an increase in the range of packages and products being offered to Indian tourists. Reports also suggested that India’s population, especially its affluent middle class, were increasingly looking at medium-haul destinations, such as Malaysia, which remained more affordable than Europe and North America, long popular with the Indian elite.

Zulkifly said Malaysia was benefitting from well-formulated packages aimed at targeted groups in the Indian market, including families and honeymooners. The country also offered quicker visa processing, a wide range of tourist attractions and affordable food and travel costs, he added.

With the world economy still struggling, and many tourists from emerging-markets on tight budgets, officials had suggested that Malaysia’s relatively low costs were also giving the country an important competitive advantage. Air connectivity has risen to meet growing demand, with Malaysia Airline System Bhd, the country’s flag carrier, increasing capacity between India and Malaysia by 25 per cent in 2012. The airline expected to continue expanding its routes to India this year.

Malaysia’s low-cost AirAsia Bhd, which has strengthened its regional presence in recent years, is also looking to increase the frequency of flights to the Indian cities it serves.

China is another growing market that offers potential for Malaysia’s tourism industry in both the leisure and business segments.

The TDC set a target of attracting 1.5 million visitors from China in 2012, up by 20 per cent on 2011’s figures. As of end-September 2012, 1.18 million Chinese tourists had visited Malaysia, up from 933,540 in the same nine months of 2011. The country hopes to break the two-million-barrier by 2014.

Boosting visitor numbers from emerging markets forms a key component of Malaysia’s bid to maintain its position as one of the world’s leading destinations. The country attracted 24.7 million international visitors in 2011, placing ninth in the world, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), just below Turkey, which received 29.3 million visitors from abroad, and the UK, with 29.2 million. France topped the list, registering 79 million international arrivals.

However, the total number of international tourists in 2011 was only up 0.4 per cent from 2010 figures, which reached 24.6 million. This figure was a four per cent rise on the number of visitor arrivals in 2009, when Malaysia received 23.6 million international tourists. Over the same period, earnings from tourism also increased, rising from US$15.8 billion in 2009 to US$18.2 billion in 2010 and reaching US$18.3 billion in 2011.

But broadening its narrow market base remains a challenge for the country. Visitors from Singapore were expected to continue dominating numbers in 2013 and 2014, accord­ing to officials. In the first six months of 2012, the top 10 markets, including Singapore, China and India, accounted for 87.55 per cent of the 11.6 million arrivals.

Tourism industry leaders in the private sector are keen for the TDC to continue broadening its promotional activities, targeting both emerging markets, including Russia, the Middle East and Eastern European countries, alongside well-established out­bound segments such as France and the US. Plans to boost arrivals from diverse sources should also stand the tourism industry in good stead, despite its remaining sensitive to fluctuations in the international economy.

By Paulius Kuncinas

Copyright 2010-2013 BorneoPost Online

PM says Visit Malaysia 2014 is a national mission.

Date: 20 January 2013

PM says Visit Malaysia 2014 is a national mission.

PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Najib Razak said, the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 must be turned into a national mission involving all parties, including the people, in order to achieve the 28 million visitors target. The Prime Minister said the project did not only involve the Ministry of Tourism but every ministry, agency and state government, to ensure its success.

"All of us have a role to play to make Visit Malaysia Year 2014 a success. From the entry point, Immigration officers who stamp the tourists, passports, Customs officers, taxi drivers, hotel staff, business people, tour operators and the Malaysian people. We must show our warm welcome. We must give them the feeling that if they visit Malaysia, they will be treated with warmth and courtesy from all of us.

"So we not only need the physical infrastructure but soft infrastructure as well, which is, Malaysians who are always cheerful, courteous and helpful so that visitors experience a truly memorable time here. This is the meaningful impact we want," he said while launching the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign, here Saturday night.

Also present were the Prime Minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and wife Datin Seri Maznah Rais and Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his wife.

Najib said Malaysia has its own unique features which are not found elsewhere, among them its fauna and flora, among the best ecosystem in the world, cosmopolitan cities, fourth best location in the world for shopping and more.

"Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan, Orang Asli and other cultures can all be experienced here. These are Malaysia's selling-points, which other countries cannot compete with. Furthermore, the peace and stability here make our country very attractive as a travel destination," he said.

He also said the government would continue encouraging the tourism industry which is targetting 36 million visitors by 2020. Najib said the government realised that the tourism industry provided 1.8 million jobs and contributed RM168 billion to the national gross income.

Malaysia's ranking as the 10th friendliest country in the world and the World Bank's recognition as the 12th competitive showed that the national transformation programme implemented by the government has borne fruit and gained global recognition, he said.

"This year, we'll implement all programmes, spruce up, plant trees and prepare everything. We must have all this in place. If we do this, I believe and am confident that 2014 will be a successful year," he concluded. - Bernama

Copyright @ 2012 Malay Mail Sdn. Bhd.

Getting People Ready For Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

Date: 19 January 2013

Getting People Ready For Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen tonight hoped Malaysians will be ready to help make the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 a success by projecting a positive image to tourists.

She said 2013 was chosen as the promotion year to ensure that the 28 million Malaysians were ready to warmly welcome visitors, besides taxi drivers providing good service.

"The campaign is a proactive start to get Malaysians ready for the event next year," she said at the launch of the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 promotion campaign by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Bukit Jalil Stadium here.

Also present were the Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Information Communications and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

Ng also said the promotion campaign would not succeed without the support of all government agencies, non-governmental organisations and tourism industry players.

"Culture will be a major component for tourism, while national security and support and cooperation from other ministries are essential to ensure the campaign is a success," she said.

At the ceremony, the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 song titled, 'Celebrating 1Malaysia...Truly Asia' was performed for the first time by local rock queen, Ella.

The launch was celebrated grandly with colours, songs and cultural performances involving more than 3,000 participants.

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

Steady Growth In Global Air Traffic: IATA.

Date: 18 January 2013

Steady Growth In Global Air Traffic: IATA.

NEW DELHI (Bernama) - Global air traffic saw a steady growth in November last year, with airlines' body IATA predicting easing of pressure on the air travel markets across the world in the coming months.

"The downward pressure on air travel markets seen throughout 2012 is now showing signs of easing in the months ahead," Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as saying in its Traffic Monitor for the month. It, however, said, "This growth may not translate to acceleration in air travel growth, but it could provide enough support, particularly to premium markets, to prevent a further slowdown in growth."

While the premium (first and business class) traffic was 4.4 per cent higher in November compared to a year ago, economy travel was up 5.8 per cent in November year-on-year. Premium travel within the Far East was the key driver of year-on-year growth in November, with the market 13.7 per cent higher than a year ago, it said.

A majority of the growth in premium travel was driven by demand within the Far East. This was marked by China's economic recovery and increased Asian trade growth which supported air travel in the region, the study said. Improvements in Asia's economic backdrop have also offered support to demand for air travel segments that connect to the region.

The study said premium travel on Europe-Far East was up 4.4 per cent in November compared to a year ago. Similarly, Africa-Far East routes also experienced a notable rise in premium travel, 14.6 per cent higher than a year ago. "Continued growth in trade between Africa and Asia has supported premium travel on this market, with China currently being Africa's largest trade partner," the IATA said.

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Tap On Domestic Tourism, Says Expert.

Date: 17 January 2013

Tap On Domestic Tourism, Says Expert.

NEW DELHI (Bernama) - Domestic tourism, which is often neglected, is equally important as international travel and has huge potential in stirring the country's economy, says UN World Tourism Organisation Consultant Omar Nawaz. Globally, he said domestic tourism contributed 60 per cent of earnings in the tourism sector while international travel only accounted for 35 per cent.

The scenario is also applicable to Asian countries, except probably for the Maldives, where 30 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came from international tourism, he said. "Countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China realised the importance of domestic tourism during the downturn in their economies," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the South Asia Tour and Travel Exchange Exhibition here today.

China especially has made huge progress in encouraging its domestic tourism industry ever since. "Now, domestic tourism is the bread and butter of China's tourism industry," he said, adding that gone were the days when a country wooed foreign tourists solely for foreign exchange purposes.

He said some three decades ago, countries that lacked foreign exchange, would encourage international tourism to helped rake in funds. "However, now foreign exchange means nothing as with globalisation came standardisation and foreign exchange didn't matter. Today, in Europe you don't look at Swiss Franc or Spanish Peseta. There has been some form of convergence. So, from the income point of view, people don't care if there is foreign exchange (earnings) or not," he said.

The ultimate aim was the net contribution of the industry to the economy, said Nawaz. He said globally, the tourism industry contributed between five and 10 per cent towards a country's GDP. "For China it is nine per cent, mainly because of policy changes towards supporting domestic tourism. They gave priority to the domestic travel sector," he said.

Malaysia is another country, which is at par with global standards when it comes to encouraging both domestic and international tourism. "The multi-cultural society with varied festivals, as well as, good infrastructure makes it attractive for both domestic and international travelers," Nawaz said, stressing that government policy was vital in supporting domestic tourism.

Besides government policies, the emergence of low-cost carriers is an important factor in boosting domestic tourism in Indonesia, said Head of Resources Development, Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, I Gde Pitana. He said the 2002 Bali Bombing in Kuta, Bali, took a toll on Indonesia's international tourism just when the country had launched the "Kenali Negerimu, Cintai Negerimu," campaign to encourage domestic tourism. "Last year domestic tourism numbers touched 245 million. The emergence of low cost carriers is another important factor that helped boost the industry," he added. Indonesia's foreign tourist arrival target for 2012 was only eight million. The number of foreign visitors to Indonesia reached 6.5 million during January-October 2012.

By M. Saraswathi

Copyrights @  BERNAMA

No Plans To Privatise MAS.

Date: 17 January 2013

No Plans To Privatise MAS.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) -- Khazanah Nasional Bhd has no plans to privatise Malaysia Airlines (MAS), its managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar said. “There are no plans to take it private. MAS has improved, with better numbers and products but there's still a lot to do because aviation is a tough industry," he told the media at a press conference here Thursday.

Responding to analysts' suggestion to privatise MAS, Azman said: "When you take something private you obviously have to pay above the market price. What it doesn't do is put money into the company, and the company needs money."

Privatisation, he added, would not solve MAS' problem. "The plan didn't answer how to put in more money to the company. It probably cost more money and MAS may lose even more market discipline because now, even if it is bad news, it forces them to go and make the operation better because every quarter they have to pay the market. Indeed, they have been gradually showing better results, which we think is good," Azman said.

He said Khazanah is ready to help MAS and will back them in terms of recapitalisation. "MAS is important to the country. Definitely strategic. Whatever they do, they need to get the operations better," he said.

Meanwhile on the divestment of Time Engineering, Azman said the process of selection is going on and has to be concluded this year. "If they get it right, the sooner the better. Let the company do the announcement," he said.

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

Early start to Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

Date: 17 January 2013

Early start to Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

Don’t miss out on the three-day tourism carnival in Bukit Jalil, writes Zalina Mohd Som

If you have plans for this weekend, put them on hold to join the crowd instead at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. For three days, starting tomorrow, the stadium is the venue for a three-day tourism carnival, held to coincide with the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign, themed Celebrating 1Malaysia Truly Asia.

Yes, 2014 may be a year away, but the Ministry Of Tourism and Tourism Malaysia are wasting no time in making early preparations to woo the targeted 28 million tourists. “We are kicking things off in a big way with a grand tourism carnival to create awareness and to gain support from both the public and private sectors,” said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen in a Press conference at her office in Putrajaya.

The highlight of the event will be the official launch by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Saturday. It will kick off at 8.30pm with exciting performances such as Gangnam 1Malaysia Truly Asia before the 500 drums show by various ethnic groups take over as the Prime Minister does the launching. The night will end with performances by artistes such as Datuk Khatijah Ibrahim, rock queen Ella and Jimmy Palikat.

For those who can’t make it to the event, the tourism carnival has a host of activities and events in store from Friday to Sunday. There will be dedicated marquees featuring the country’s tourism products and events such as 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism Festival, Parks and Greens, and 1Malaysia International Shoe Festival.

Ministries including Youth and Sport, Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism, Higher Education, and Information, Communications and Culture will also set up tents to welcome visitors. Dr Ng said the participation of the various ministries underline the importance of involvement of the various sectors in the tourism industry.

For those with special interests, there will be bazaars focusing on cycling and biking tourism featuring packages, products and gears with big names such as Harley Davidson, Ducati, BMW and Givi. Expect to see specially-designed custom-made choppers on site!

But what is a tourism carnival without a travel fair? Those who want to make an early start planning their holidays will be delighted to find 200 booths at the tourism consumer exhibition, offering holiday and hotel packages.

Other tents not to be missed are Kids Zone - a play centre for kids provided by operators of the newly-opened theme parks in the country such as Legoland, Hello Kitty and Kidzania - and 1Malaysia Food Court with stalls serving favourite hawker food from all over the country. A fruit bazaar will also be put up.

On top of the excitement, visitors will also stand a chance to win exciting lucky draw prizes. To register for the draw, visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CutiCuti1Malaysia.

By Zalina Mohd Som | czar-lina@nstp.com.my

Copyright @ 2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Malaysia expects to attract 28m tourists in 2014.

Date: 17 January 2013

Malaysia expects to attract 28m tourists in 2014.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia expects to attract 28 million tourists next year, in line with the launch of the Visit Malaysia 2014 campaign, said Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen. She said Malaysia would continue to focus on its key markets to bring in tourists, with emphasis on the Middle East, China and India.

“We would also like to venture into new markets such as Kazakhstan, Brazil, Russia and also the US. In the US, we will focus on areas such as Las Vegas and Honolulu,” she told reporters at a briefing yesterday on the latest update on the launch of the Visit Malaysia 2014 promotional campaign.

Ng said better connectivity between Malaysia and several areas will further enhance tourist inflow.

According to Ng, Honolulu receives about nine million tourists every year, as such Malaysia should initiate a step forward to attract more potential tourists.

“We are enhancing our chartered flights facilities as last year we received about 400 chartered flights from all over the world,” she said.

The ministry is also working with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd to translate transit passengers to overnight passengers.

The Visit Malaysia 2014 promotional campaign will kick off at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium from Jan 18 to Jan 20 with strong support from the private sector. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to officiate at the campaign on Jan 19. He is also expected to announce the 2012 tourism data.

By Kamalavacini Ramanathan

Copyright (C) 2009-2012 MToday News Sdn. Bhd.

New Zealanders urged to visit Malaysia.

Date: 15 January 2013

New Zealanders urged to visit Malaysia.

New Zealanders are being urged to visit Malaysia in greater numbers and for longer stays after Kiwi tourists visiting that country fell by about 19 per cent in 2012 from 2011. Part of the reason for the fall in Kiwi visitors was that Christchurch International Airport lost the valuable AirAsia X service from Kuala Lumpur. The service came to a halt at the end of May 2012 after running for about a year.

Over the weekend and yesterday Malaysian tourism officials and a visiting dance troupe from Sarawak, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo, were in Christchurch talking up the visitor experience for Kiwis. Mohammad Hafiz Hashim, a director of Tourism Malaysia's New Zealand office, said the troupe had performed at both the Re:Start mall on Sunday and also at the airport yesterday.

Tourism Malaysia was also due to host about 60 South Island travel agents at a meeting at the airport as part of its efforts to increase visitation and the length of stay by New Zealanders.

Sarawak as a destination included opportunities for trekking, and seeing and experiencing orangutan conservation projects, beaches and large cave systems.

In 2011 about 80,000 Kiwis visited Malaysia, helped by the AirAsia X flights, but last year numbers were down nearly 20 per cent for the year. Each visitor stayed an average of 9.5 days. "[So] it's our main objective. We want to increase the numbers of Kiwis or New Zealanders coming across . . . In particular we want to increase the number of nights. We want them to stay longer and spend more to contribute to our economy," Hashim said. The 20 strong group was also promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

The Christchurch International Airport aeronautical development general manager Matthew Findlay said a daily service provided by Singapore Airlines to Singapore meant Kiwis could easily fly on to a Malaysian destination. "Tourism Malaysia are keen obviously to tap the South Island. We're working with Singapore Airlines to encourage more people to think about travelling to Malaysia."

By ALAN WOOD

Copyright @ 2012 Fairfax New Zealand Limited

Ferry service to Acheh will boost Penang medical tourism.

Date: 16 January 2013

Ferry service to Acheh will boost Penang medical tourism.

GEORGE TOWN - A new ferry service connecting Penang to Langsa in Acheh, Indonesia is set to boost the state’s medical tourism, according to facilitators Penang Port Sdn Bhd. The service, operated by Langkawi Ferry Services and managed by TYC Resources, will start on February 21 with two trips to and from Langsa each week.

Penang Port managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said the new service will bring in more medical tourists to Penang as well as foster trade between the locations. “We start with a passenger ferry service but it is hoped that in future there will also be a cargo ferry service to encourage trading ties between Acheh and Penang,” he said.

He said Acheh has a population of around five million and of this, 20 per cent are affluent and expected to travel frequently to Penang for medical treatment and leisure.

PPSB is facilitating the new service, which will operate from Swettenham Pier. TYC Resources executive director Thong Yow Chuan said the company aims to ferry 100 passengers per trip between both cities. The capacity of the ferry is up to 138 passengers and the company will first evaluate the demand for the service in the first three months before increasing the number of trips between Langsa and Penang.

“For now, we target 100 passengers each trip and as demand increases, we may increase the number of trips,” he said in a press conference held at PPSB’s office this afternoon. Tickets for a return trip from Penang to Langsa is RM180 for adults and RM120 for children. The tickets are available for purchase at the Langkawi Ferry Services Ticketing counter.

By Opalyn Mok

Copyright © 2013 The Malaysian Insider

Malaysia rated top Muslim-friendly holiday destination.

Date: 16 January 2013

Malaysia rated top Muslim-friendly holiday destination.

SINGAPORE: Malaysia has been rated the world’s top Muslim-friendly holiday destination in a survey released Wednesday that listed Egypt, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Singapore as runners-up. The study by Singapore-based Muslim travel consultancy Crescentrating  ranked countries on how well they cater to the growing number of Muslim  holidaymakers seeking halal — or Islam-compliant — food and services.

It used criteria including the level of safety in a country, the ease of  access to halal food and prayer facilities, and whether hotels cater to the  needs of Muslim guests. On a scale of one to 10 in which 10 is the best score, Malaysia came out  number one with a grade of 8.3 among 50 nations surveyed.

Egypt was in second place with 6.7, followed by the United Arab Emirates  and Turkey both with 6.6. Saudi Arabia was in fourth place with a score of 6.4  and Singapore was fifth with 6.3. Indonesia, Morocco and Jordan scored 6.1 to tie in sixth place, trailed by  seventh-place Brunei, Qatar, Tunisia and Oman, all with a score of 6.0.

Crescentrating chief executive Fazal Bahardeen said the survey was taken  from the point of view of the traveller, meaning that it measured the ease of  access by Muslim tourists — not locals — to halal food and facilities. “Malaysia is one of the few countries where you can find a prayer place in  almost every location — be it a shopping mall or the airport,” Fazal told AFP.

He said that while Malaysian authorities have been focusing on the market  for several years, Indonesia — the world’s most populous Muslim nation — has  not done as well. “The main problem for Indonesia is that it’s not straightforward for a  Muslim visitor to find halal food availability. For locals it’s probably not an  issue.”

Saudi Arabia figured as a holiday destination for the first time since the  survey started in 2011 because more Muslims use their holidays to go there to  perform the Umrah, a minor pilgrimage, Fazal said.

Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport  were rated among the friendliest to Muslim travellers.

In terms of cities as a shopping destination, Dubai pipped Kuala Lumpur for  the number-one spot, according to the survey which rated the presence of halal  food and prayer facilities at shopping malls. Istanbul, Jeddah, Singapore, Cairo, Abu Dhabi, New Delhi, London and Doha  completed the top-10 shopping destinations.

Spending by Muslim tourists is growing faster than the global rate and is  forecast to reach $192 billion a year by 2020, up from $126 billion in 2011,  according to a study by Crescentrating and another company released last year. - AFP

Copyright @ 2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Amadeus rolls out app for mid-office system.

Date: 15 January 2013

Amadeus rolls out app for mid-office system.

Bangkok - AMADEUS has launched the Amadeus Travel Office Manager Mobile, an extension of the Amadeus Travel Office Manager (ATOM) mid-office system, providing travel consultants with on-the-go access to booking data, pricing and management reports.

With the new app, travel consultants will be able to check task queues created in ATOM and take action on due or overdue tasks, access supplier and customer contact details, send emails and messages, and get an overview of the daily booking sales and payment reports from their mobile devices.

Bruno des Fontaines, vice president, customer solutions group at Amadeus Asia Pacific, said: “Amadeus Travel Office Manager Mobile enables efficiency and continuity of services wherever the travel consultants are. People are now used to working anytime, anywhere and on any device, and travel agencies need to ensure that their consultants can access information securely from systems such as Amadeus Travel Office Manager.

“We are proud to be the first travel technology company to release an application for mid-office systems and will be adding more functionalities in time to come.”

Amadeus Travel Office Manager Mobile is available to ATOM customers in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore and Thailand. It can be downloaded for free on the Amadeus website or from Apple App Store.

Copyright @ TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd © 2013

MASwings’ BIMP EAGA expansion sees smooth progress.

Date: 15 January 2013

MASwings’ BIMP EAGA expansion sees smooth progress.

KUCHING: MASwings Sdn Bhd’s (MASwings) expansion plan within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP EAGA) is progressing smoothly with the announcement of its thrice-weekly flight to Balikpapan yesterday.

Dato’ Mohd Nawawi, MASwings chief executive officer, noted that MASwings’ route expansion was in line with the government’s initiative to lure more tourists into the Borneo states in particular, and also into Peninsular Malaysia especially with the recent announcement made by Federal Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen in making Malaysia a destination haven during a promotional campaign for Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

“Being a Malaysian carrier, we will collaborate to support all initiatives planned by the state and federal government,” Nawawi stated. “Transportation connectivity is a key element in realising the BIMP EAGA goals of increasing trade, investment and tourism within the sub region. As a major supporter of the BIMP EAGA objectives, MASwings is proud to be able to contribute towards the growth in the sub region.”

He noted that the implementation of the phases was just the first step to promote and ensure connectivity between points and that with the 60 million people in the targeted cities, it would no doubt help move the initiative in the right direction.

Nawawi highlighted that past performance for the BIMP EAGA region was rocky at first but towards the end, the load factor averages out to over 50 per cent for the year with December figures registering up to 80 per cent to some destinations. Passenger growth for 2012, Nawawi noted that both domestic and international figures registered 1.584 million passengers, 84,000 more than the target of 1.5 million passengers and achieved a year on year growth of 12 per cent. Sabah and Sarawak passenger growth registered at between two and three per cent.

“Last year, MASwings commenced its first phase of international network by adding three destinations namely, Bandar Seri Begawan as well as Pontianak and Tarakan in Kalimantan. It is now gearing up to add more international routes within the BIMP EAGA region through the second phase of expansion which will see it spreading its wings to Puerto Princesa in Palawan, by March 2013 and Zamboanga in Mindanao by June,” Nawawi enthused.

As for phase three, the MASwings CEO noted that the company was already looking into linking up Makassar in Indonesia as well as Manado and Davao in the Philippines.

Nawawi explained that with the introduction of flights linking Balikpapan to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, MASwings weekly passengers capacity for its international network would increase from 3,200 to 3,968. The company also plans to expand its aircraft fleet in the near future with an expansion rate from the current 10 to an additional 16 new aircraft.

He further added that with the large expatriate community at Balikpapan as well as the higher spending power due to the presence of many international oil companies, mining companies, and related industries, it would no doubt leave an economic footprint as well.

The commencement of the flights on February 1 would also serve another purpose as Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) would officially be part of ‘Oneworld’ meaning that MASwings customers would be able to have access to MAS’ network and also Oneworld.

By Jonathan Wong, jonathanwong@theborneopost.com

Copyright @ 2010-2013 BorneoPost Online

Visa On Arrival A Hit With Tourists To India.

Date: 15 January 2013

Visa On Arrival A Hit With Tourists To India.

NEW DELHI, Jan 15 (Bernama) -- India's move to introduce visa on arrivals (VOA) to attract more tourists to the country is bearing fruits with the visa number growing 26 per cent in 2012. A total number of 16,084 VOAs were issued in 2012 compared with 12,761 VOAs issued in 2011, the Ministry of Tourism said in a statement.

The highest number of 4,604 VOAs were issued to tourists from Japan followed by New Zealand (3,150) and the Philippines (2,444). Indonesia took 2,426, Singapore 1,974, Finland 914, Vietnam 186, Cambodia 157, Luxembourg 110, Myanmar 109 and Laos 10. During 2012, the highest number of VOAs were issued at the Delhi airport (9,596), followed by Mumbai (3,276), Chennai (2,273) and Kolkata (939).

India had earlier launched the VOAs scheme in January 2010 for citizens of five countries, namely Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore. The scheme was extended to six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011.

Malaysia does not enjoy the scheme.

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

MAHB projects 7pc passenger traffic growth.

Date: 15 January 2013

MAHB projects 7pc passenger traffic growth.

MALAYSIA Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is confident of achieving a 7.1 per cent increase in passenger traffic this year after recording five per cent growth in 2012. The increase is expected to be driven by preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY2014) campaign, an anticipated increase in the region's travel demand as well as the country's economic growth.

MAHB managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid said promotional efforts for the VMY2014 are already in progress, while travel demand in the region is expected to increase this year.

The economy - an important element to sustain travel demand - remains in good shape with gross domestic product growth expected to be between 4.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent. The challenge, Bashir said, is to ensure that the additional capacity provided by airports and airlines is properly and fully utilised to cater for the increasing demand for air travel.

"All the parties involved must work together to enhance each other's potential. I think if we all work hand in hand, then the country's aviation industry will have a great future," Bashir said in an interview with Business Times recently.

In a recent statement to Bursa Malaysia, MAHB said passenger movements at its airports grew 9.9 per cent in November 2012 from the same month in the previous year, while in October, the growth was 7.7 per cent. During the month under review, international passengers grew at 13.1 per cent, while domestic passengers grew 7.1 per cent.

The airport operator is also confident that 2013 will be a good year for the aviation industry in Malaysia. Bashir said the aviation industry has a strong foundation for continuous growth. "We are very fortunate to have Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia Bhd as our major airlines as both of them have done very well," he said.

Over the last couple of years, Bashir said MAHB, together with the government, has taken the initiative to increase airport capacity in many key cities such as Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, as well as at smaller airports such as Malacca, Ipoh and Sibu. There are also plans to increase capacity at other airports such as Sandakan.

Bashir added that the new low-cost carrier terminal, klia2, which is expected to start operations on June 28, will also provide the much-needed additional capacity for the growth of low-fare travel.

"This increase in airport capacity is important to provide room for growth not only for the country's airlines such as MAS, AirAsia, Firefly, MASwings and Berjaya Air, but also for the many foreign airlines that operate at our airports," he said.

Besides airports, local airlines' move to take new delivery of aircraft and expand their capacity by operating new routes and additional frequencies will encourage further growth in the industry. Last year, MAS announced the purchase of 36 new ATR 72-600 aircraft to expand operations of Firefly and MASwings. It has also added A380s to its fleet and is in the process of replacing its aircraft with newer ones.  Meanwhile, AirAsia has been continuously adding seat capacity and has also announced the purchase of 100 new Airbus A320s.

The entrance of Malindo Airways, which is expected to start operations by May this year, would also provide capacity growth, said Bashir. He added that this year, foreign airlines already operating here such as Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways, Cebu Pacific Air and Mandala Airlines, will be adding more frequencies and new routes, while four new foreign carriers, including Air France, are expected to begin services at KLIA.  This is in addition to the seven new airlines that began operations into the country last year.

"We continue to offer the lowest aeronautical charges in the region and this provides a low-cost base operations for airlines in Malaysia, as well as those operating to Malaysia," he noted.

By Bilqis Bahari

Copyright © The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

UMS Signs Historic MoA With International Tourism Organisation In Macau.

Date: 14 January 2013

UMS Signs Historic MoA With International Tourism Organisation In Macau.

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) and Sabah Tourist Guide Association (STGA) to set up the WFTGA International Training Centre here in Sabah, Malaysia.

The MoA was signed by UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Harun Abdullah for UMS, by Ms Rosalind Newlands OBE for WFTGA, and by Mr Daniel Doughty for STGA at the 15th WFTGA Convention held in Macau, China, Monday.

The signing took place during the opening ceremony of the convention and also present at the ceremony were Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Hamid Egoh, Chairman of the Board of Directors (UMS), and Associate Professor Dr Arsiah Bahron, Dean, School of Economics and Business (UMS).

According to a statement issued by UMS to Bernama, here today, this international training centre, only the second in the world (the first centre is in Cyprus) will commence operations in April 2013 providing career development to licensed tourist guides both local and international.

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

Tourism Malaysia To Attract More Tourists From Singapore With Promotional Activities.

Date: 14 January 2013

Tourism Malaysia To Attract More Tourists From Singapore With Promotional Activities.

SINGAPORE (Bernama) - In its quest to attract more tourists from Singapore, Tourism Malaysia has identified various promotional programmes for this year. These include participation in consumer fairs, trade and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) seminars and food promotions, said the new Tourism Malaysia director for Singapore, Noor Aine Ismail.

"At this juncture, we will implement the identified promotional programmes for 2013, approved by our headquarters," said Noor Aine who has been working with Tourism Malaysia for 33 years.

"Singapore is a major tourist-generating market for Malaysia (54.1 per cent of total arrivals in 2011). We foresee a positive development, based on contributing factors such as the favourable exchange rate, making Malaysia a value-for- money destination," she told Bernama.

Due to the close proximity, she said Malaysia was an ideal weekend getaway, and coupled with affordable/cheap airfares offered by many low-cost carriers, the country offered different kinds of tourism products for all market segments.

Noor Aine noted that Singapore tourist arrivals showed a drop of 5.1 per cent (9,257,587) for January-September 2012 (compared to the same period in 2011). "We believe the 'decline' was due to the change in recording system by the Immigration Department, whereby from January 2012, arrivals were recorded by 'nationality' and no more by 'country of residence'. Hence, a large number of arrivals of expatriates and foreigners (living in Singapore) lost out to their respective countries of origin/nationality."

However, she said, with the upcoming promotional activities coupled with the Visit Malaysia 2014 campaign, Malaysia hoped to get three to five per cent increase in tourist arrivals.

Noor Aine took over the new post from Zalizam Zakaria early this month. Before this, she had been assigned to various divisions - Project Development, Marketing, Conventions and Industry Development. She had served at the Tourism Malaysia Paris Office from November 1994 to July 2000. From October 2007 to Jan 4, 2013, she was deputy director (overseeing Tourism Malaysia's offices in Frankfurt, The Hague, Milan, Moscow and Istanbul) at the International Marketing Division (Americas/Europe and Oceania).

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

Copyrights @ BERNAMA

Total Tourism Expenditure Increases To RM117.7 Billion.

Date: 14 January 2013

Total Tourism Expenditure Increases To RM117.7 Billion.

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - Total tourism expenditure has increased to RM117.7 billion in 2011 from RM104.1 billion in 2010, mainly contributed by inbound tourism expenditure, according to the Department of Statistics.

In its latest release, entitled "Malaysia Tourism Satellite Account 2005-2011", the department said total tourism expenditure consisted of inbound, domestic and outbound tourism expenditures.

It said despite an increase in total receipts for inbound tourism expenditure to RM60.2 billion in 2011 from RM58.3 billion in 2010, the annual percentage change was reduced to 3.1 per cent in 2011 from 6.1 per cent in 2010.

The number of inbound visitors to Malaysia in 2011 recorded 32.8 million, an increase from 32.7 million in 2010, with the bulk of them especially from Asean countries, such as Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

The department said domestic tourism expenditure expanded to RM36.2 billion in 2011 from RM27.6 billion in 2010.

Copyrights @ BERNAMA