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Malaysia promotes tourism
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Han Ximin
ON a tight schedule to promote Malaysia tourism here in Shenzhen, Dato' Dr. Ng Yen Yen, deputy minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism of Malaysia, cancelled other arrangements to attend the International Tourism Exhibition which is due to open tomorrow in Hong Kong and took her delegation of over 20 members directly to Shenzhen.
This is the first time Malaysia has promote its tourism resources in a government-sponsored manner in China, and this change of schedule is proof of her confidence and interest in the tourism market of Shenzhen as well as China. In her words, she is in the right direction.
“China is the largest potential market for Malaysia's tourism for the two countries share common ground in language, cultural heritage and life habits,” said Ng Yen Yen at an interview at Landmark Hotel on Monday evening. Ng said China has become the second largest source country in terms of visitors to Malaysia.
Shenzhen is the first stop of her tourism promotion tour in China. “A city with over 4.32 million people and 290 yuan per capita consumption on tourism a year, Shenzhen is the right choice for me,” Ng noted.
Ng hopes that more visitors will travel to Malaysia via Shenzhen and Hong Kong during China's May Day and National Day holidays.
During the Asian financial crisis of 1997, Malaysia keenly sensed its potential in eco-tourism and moved to transform the manufacturing country into a tourism destination. Ng was entrusted with the responsibility for promotion in the Chinese market.
“We launched a nationwide tourism education campaign among citizens and arranged grand national tourism activities every month based on our own features,” said Ng, adding that every visitor can enjoy a rejoicing atmosphere whenever they come to Malaysia.
Malaysia's tourism has developed quickly in recently years. The number of visitors increased from 7.4 million in 1999 to last year's 10.2 million, earning US$4.7 billion for the nation's treasury. As far as China is concerned, visitors to Malaysia last year doubled from the previous year to 430,000. According to Ng, their target this year is to attract over half a million from the Chinese mainland.
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