Tourism Ministry Reviews Strategy To Attract Foreign Tourists

The tourism ministry is reviewing its strategy to overcome the reduced number of tourist arrivals from crisis-hit countries.

The minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, said this involved monitoring the situation globally, via a 24-hour crisis management centre.

She said the centre would, among others, advise Malaysia's tour operators on how to overcome the problem.

The centre, established in 2009 during the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in the country, is headed by the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng.

"We don't snatch the tourists (from flood-hit countries) but instead, manage their arrival to Malaysia and advise them on other countries in the region," she told reporters after launching the 5th International Art Expo Malaysia 2011 at the MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre here Friday.

Dr Ng said tourist arrivals from Europe, United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Syria and Egypt had reduced this year due to the political and economic crises, as well as disasters affecting those countries.

However, the ministry is focusing on attracting tourists from China, India, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Russia and other Middle East countries.

Meanwhile, Dr Ng denied a news portal report that the ministry had overspent RM270 million in advertising and promotion.

Tourism Malaysia spent RM270 million over two years in advertising and promotion. There was no exceeding of expenses. We do not exceed the ceiling given by the finance ministry," she explained.

She said the ministry spent RM178 million in 2009 and RM91 million last year for advertising and promotion, as compared to RM200 million in the previous years.

The art expo, organised by Art Expo Malaysia Sdn Bhd, is open to the public until Nov 1.

Source - bernama