RECENTLY, WRITER DAVID BOWDEN OF THE EXPAT TRAVELLED WITH THE MALAYSIAN MINISTER OF TOURISM DATO’ SERI DR. NG YEN YEN TO SHANGHAI TO ATTEND THE EXPO 2010 SHANGHAI CHINA. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, HE WAS ABLE TO PUT SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO THE MINISTER.

TOURISM IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING; WHAT NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS IS MALAYSIA OFFERING TRAVELLERS?
Before we start investigating new products, I think it is vital to reevaluate those products and services that we currently offer visitors. It is essential that we constantly revaluate and refine these so that Malaysia can continue to offer attractive products to all travellers. Malaysia needs to ensure it offers competitive value, a unique experience along the lines of “Malaysia Truly Asia” and quality services and products.

However, there are certain areas where we can develop new products to ensure the nation remains a vibrant tourist destination. We need to continue or develop new concepts such as gardens and parks, arts, ecotourism, railway tourism, sailing and luxury activities such as heli-flights and boat cruises which appeal to affluent travellers. I was recently in Australia where there was a lot of interest in the “Sandakan to Ranau Peace Walk” and in Australians visiting Sabah to participate in sections of this historic walk. This tragic episode at the end of World War II is an important part of the history of both Australia and Malaysia and young people in Australia see it as an important part of their heritage. Working together with the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, we also need to promote Malaysian arts more than we are currently doing. I have been told that several Malaysian paintings have been sold at the Shanghai Expo and this proves that we have world-class painters who can sell to the world. Our recent Malaysian Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival was an important initiative to boost art tourism. We have a successful homestay programme in Malaysia and we need to promote this in conjunction with rail tourism where visitors can use our trains to travel around the peninsula and use homestays as their accommodation.

WHICH INTERNATIONAL MARKETS ARE NOW IMPORTANT TO MALAYSIA?
The top two markets are from our neighbours with Singapore having the highest arrivals and Indonesia being number two. China is becoming increasingly significant and with 20% of the world’s population, China will always be important for Malaysian tourism. Tourist arrivals from mainland China are now the third most important arrivals in terms of total numbers into Malaysia. China recently moved into third place with Thailand dropping to fourth place. Our promotional activities are now targeted at seeking out quality lifestyle tourists from mainland China and having them stay in Malaysia for longer periods. The average stay for Chinese tourists is just five days so if we can add to this, we gain increased revenue from these tourists. We are also targeting second-tier cities in China and are adding these to our current promotional activities which were initially focused on the larger coastal cities. I think we will see more tourists from China in the coming years as they feel comfortable travelling in Malaysia.

WHAT ROLE CAN TOURISTS AND EXPATS PLAY IN PROMOTING TOURISM?
I’ve said it before that tourists and expats are my ambassadors who tell their families and friends back home how much they enjoy Malaysia. Senses of Malaysia (The Expat’s sister publication) is a fabulous magazine and I note with joy that it was awarded the “Best Tourism Publication” by my ministry in the Malaysia Tourism Awards 2010. This was no accident – it is a well conceived and well written magazine with excellent photos of the country that sells Malaysia to all those who read it. I hope it continues to do well and is taken around the world by expats and others in an effort to entice travellers here. I have read it on Malaysia Airlines so obviously it is accessible to a wide audience around the world. One of the tourism sectors that I think is important is that of associations, students and companies and I know the expats living in Malaysia have contacts around the world and they can use these to entice more tourists to the country.

Source: The Expat November 2010 Issue