2009 Tourist Arrivals Up 7.2 Per Cent

Malaysia's tourist arrivals in 2009 rose 7.2 percent to 23.65 million compared to 22 million in 2008, Dewan Rakyat was told Tuesday.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said most of the tourists were from Singapore, China, India and Middle East countries.

He said Singapore provided most with 12.73mil (11mil in 2008), up 15.7 percent, China (including Hong Kong and Macau ) contributed 1.01mil (949,864), up 7.4 percent.

"Tourists from India rose to 589,838 from 550,738, up 7.1 percent while Middle East countries gave 284,890 tourists, up 7.8 percent," he said when replying to a question by John Fernandez (DAP-Seremban).

To a supplementary question by Fernandez, Dawos said Tourism Malaysia had opened 42 offices worldwide to promote the country to foreign tourists.

He told Datuk Ismail Kasim (BN-Arau) that radio talk shows, seminars and advertising programmes were held to promote Malaysia.

They include two seminars in Johannesburg and Cape Town held during his visit to South Africa in February.


Source : Bernama
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