Malaysia a draw for corporate tourists.

12th March, 2013

Malaysia a draw for corporate tourists.

PETALING JAYA: Besides leisure tourism, Malaysia is gaining reputation as a corporate travel draw as well. Business travel industry experts say the country held many advantages to excel in corporate tourism, with efficient infrastructure being a main plus point.

Sunway Travel Sdn Bhd CEO Jeremiah Lim said the cost of hosting events in Malaysia was comparatively lower. “Malaysia's very good infrastructure and diversity of food are major advantages,” he said at the opening of GlobalStar 11th Annual Conference in Bandar Sunway yesterday. He added that the not-too-rigid visa guidelines was also another positive point.

Delegates from 75 countries are here for the three-day conference, which is being hosted by Malaysia for the first time. With the theme “Transform-Inform-Perform”, presenters and keynote speakers will share various insights and experiences on developing the business travel industry. Malaysia Airlines is one of the local participants.

“When the conference delegates arrived last week, they already experienced these wow' factors in terms of our tourist destinations, infrastructure and cultural offerings,” Lim said.

GlobalStar Travel Management chairman Matt Cummings said corporate customers were constantly on the lookout for new destinations to host incentive meetings. “To get as much as they can for the money they are spending ... Malaysia certainly offers that,” he stressed.

MAS global sales and distribution senior vice-president Duncan Bureau, who provided the keynote address, said the airline's fleet would be the most environmental-friendly in the Asia-Pacific region by 2015. He said this was due to MAS' efforts towards fleet renewal, including its six new Airbus A380 a plane hailed as among the most environmentally-advanced aircraft.

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