http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6§ion=0&article=90441&d=27&m=12&y=2006
Wednesday, 27, December, 2006 (07, Dhul Hijjah, 1427)
Malaysian Govt Targets 100,000 Saudi Tourists Next Year
K.S. Ramkumar, Arab News
JEDDAH, 27 December 2006 - Malaysia hopes to attract at least 100,000
Saudi visitors next year, Tourism Malaysia official said at the unveiling of
the "Visit Malaysia 2007" campaign logo Monday night.
"We're focused on Saudi vacationers as they account among the highest
spenders in the world," Zalizam Zakaria, Tourism Malaysia director (overseas),
Middle East and North Africa, said at a function attended by travel agents at
the Jeddah Le Meridien Hotel.
Malaysia had received 52,000 Saudi visitors in 2005 and the figure is
expected to increase to 60,000 by 2006-end. "We're targeting 20.1 million
visitors from all over the world in 2007, an increase from 17.5 million set for
2006," he said.
While Malaysia Tourism is working with travel agencies and airlines to
boost its tourist traffic during the year - which also marks the 50th
anniversary of the country's independence - several tour packages will be
offered to families and vacationers."Saudis are issued visas on arrival in
Malaysia for a three-month stay. For other nationals, the Malaysian embassy and
the consulate issue visas within 12 to 24 hours," Zakaria said.
The campaign will be launched in Kuala Lumpur on Jan. 1. Malaysia will
roll out the red carpet to woo more tourists in a $56 million, year-long drive
to further diversify its manufacturing-led economy.
"The Southeast Asian nation has altogether planned 200 special events
that will help lure a record 20.1 million tourists in the 'Visit Malaysia Year'
campaign," Zakaria said. If successful, arrival figures will be around 15
percent higher compared to 2006.
Malaysia will showcase yearlong events, including floral parades and
displaying a used Russian space shuttle, during the campaign. Some of the other
events across the country include federal territory day, Langkawi Tour, Open
Golf Championship, Chinese New Year celebration, Taman Negara eco-challenge,
Petronas Malaysian F1 grand Prix, royal go-kart competition, arts festival,
national water festival, colors of Malaysia, lantern festival, dragon boat
festival, aerospace exhibition and a mega-sale carnival.
A multi-racial country of palm-fringed beaches and virgin jungles,
Malaysia hopes to attract visitors mainly from Saudi Arabia and the rest of the
Middle East, Southeast Asia, China and India. The predicted influx would help
offset the decline in the number of high-spending American and European
tourists.
Tourism is Malaysia's largest foreign-exchange earner after
manufacturing, which accounts for 31 percent of the economy. It forms part of
the overall services sector, which makes up 58 percent of the economy. Malaysia
is expected to earn 44.5 billion ringgit ($12.54 billion) in tourism income in
2007, up 17 percent from 2006
