Malaysia Targets RM168 Billion From Tourism Sector By 2020

Malaysia is targeting to earn RM168 billion from the tourism and related industries by the year 2020, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said the target was based on the projection that 36 million tourists would be visiting the country by then.

The minister disclosed this after handing over the Malaysia Book of Records Certificate to Astro which succeeded in planting the largest coral reef in Malaysia at the Ribbon Reef area, Tun Sakaran Marine Park, here Saturday.

Astro, with 50 local and foreign divers, had planted 777 individual corals in the area within just one day.

Dr Ng said Semporna, which has more than 80 islands and famous for diving activities, was a national tourism asset especially for Sabah which was becoming increasingly important among world tourists. She said that last year, tourism in Semporna contributed RM190 million to the national economy with the presence of more than 40,000 tourists who had mostly come for diving activities.

"Now, Semporna also has the Bukit Tengkorak Archeology Site. The Bukit Tengkorak Archeology Site only needs a good museum staff (to attract tourists)," she said.

Dr Ng also said that her ministry, through Tourism Malaysia, had discussed with several tour agencies in two towns in Russia, namely Vladivostok and Khabarovsk, to establish chartered flights from the two towns to Kota Kinabalu.

Source - bernama