Malaysia launches new promotional campaign
The event was held during a business lunch hosted for international tourism trade buyers and media attending the forum at the Chiang Mai International Convention Centre (CMECC).
“These next two years are a crucial period for our country’s tourism – they are the lead up to the much-anticipated Visit Malaysia 2020. By then, we expect to welcome some 36 million tourists to our shores with tourist receipts reaching RM168 billion,” said YB Dato’ Seri Nazri.
The Minister is confident of the success of the campaign, saying that Malaysia’s tourism industry is growing stronger. He cited tourism investments in Malaysia such as international hotel brands Four Seasons, Movenpick, W Hotels by Starwood and DoubleTree by Hilton being made within the next two years, amounting to close to 1,000 rooms.
In addition, new attractions are also being launched to provide tourists more choices of attractions. Desaru Coast, a premium integrated destination resort combining accommodation, golf, theme park, convention centre, leisure, retail and F&B, is expected to open by June this year. It will be bringing in hotel brands such as The Westin, Anantara and Hard Rock Hotel.
Acknowledging the importance of connectivity to facilitate travel, Dato’ Seri Nazri said that the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and Tourism Malaysia are focusing on increasing accessibility to Malaysia via various airline partnerships for scheduled and charter flights. The Malaysian Government has special incentives for this purpose and Tourism Malaysia is using this to attract international airlines to fly Malaysian routes.
“In the context of ASEAN tourism, Visit Malaysia 2020 also brings with it the opportunity to cross-sell and re-market the region to tourists who are visiting Malaysia. There are ample opportunities for industry stakeholders across the region to work together and benefit as a whole,” he added. The minister urged ASEAN industry players to work together to create a seamless and unforgettable experience for tourists when they visit ASEAN as a single yet multifarious travel destination.