MALAYSIA MULLS OVER CO-OPERATING WITH CHINA TO DEVELOP CRUISE TOURISM

SRI KEMBANGAN, Malaysia, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will consider
co-operating with China to develop cruise tourism as a new tourism product, said
Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said China, which was now developing cruise tourism, was keen to co-operate
with Malaysia, in this respect.

Hence, the minister believed this was a "silk road" for the country to develop
the tourism industry.

"(As) Both Malaysia and China have the same opinion, we believe cruise tourism
could become a new tourism product...we will consider this and find a common
consensus for this matter," she told reporters after receiving a courtesy call
from China National Tourism Administration chairman Shao Qiwei here Tuesday.

Dr Ng said both countries had discussed some formula to attract more investors
from China to invest in the tourism industry, especially in the hotel or resort
industry.

She disclosed that China had invited her to lead a delegation to attend the
Tourism Investment Fair held in April annually, in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

"We will grasp the opportunity to let the investors from China realise the
investment opportunities provided in our country," she said.

Meanwhile, Shao said tourism industry was a huge industry and for the cruise
tourism itself, it involved manufacturing and the services industry.

For example, the 'Oasis of the Seas', the largest and most revolutionary cruise
ship in the world which can carry over 6,000 passengers, needed 4,000 employees,
he said.

"In other words, it provides 4,000 working opportunities," he added.

Hence, Shao said China was willing to co-operate with Malaysia and Middle East
countries to develop cruise tourism.

He said, compared to the same period last year, the number of tourists from
China to Malaysia had increased 28 per cent for the first six months of this
year.

Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Ng said the abolishment of visa on arrival (VOA)
would not affect tourists from China.

She said that only about 9,000 of the 23.65 million visitors to Malaysia last
year applied for VOA, adding that the country received about one million tourist
arrivals from China during the same period.

"While abolishing the VOA, we are now looking at a new system to widen our
network throughout China," she said, adding that the ministry was looking at the
visa facilitation system (VFS), which was an alternative, to give the private
sector a more important role to play.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government
had decided not to revive the issuance of VOA to foreign tourists at entry
points into the country as the facility was being abused.

Dr Ng said, in view of the VFS, the ministry was identifying credible companies
to assist the government to process the application.

"But it doesn't mean they have the right to approve (the application), the
approval right is still at the immigration, but (VFS) is to make the process
faster," added the minister.
-- BERNAMA