GOVT SPENT US$148.411 MLN FOR TOURISM PROMOTION, GENERATED US$17.099 BLN REVENUE LAST YEAR

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- The government spent about RM460 million
(US$US$148,411) to promote Malaysia as a tourism destination to the world last
year and in return generated RM53 billion (US$17.099) in revenue, said Tourism
Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen.
(US$1=RM3.09)

She said the ministry hoped earnings from the tourism sector would increase to
RM168 billion and achieve 36 million tourist arrivals by 2015.

"For Australia, we are targeting an increase of tourist arrivals by another
130,000 this year, and this converts to RM535 million.

"For New Zealand, because we don't have office (tourism office) there, New
Zealand tourist arrivals is not high numbering only 63,000 last year.

"So, this year, after I made a trip there, we (ministry) hope there will be an
increase of another 10,000 tourists (from New Zealand) which translates into
some M6 million in tourism receipts," she told a press conference to elaborate
the success of her ministry's sales mission to New Zealand and Australia in
August, here Monday.

It was in response to a query in Parliament by an MP who had questioned the
justification of spending RM244,720 on the 10-day mission.

Ng explained that the trip was important for the ministry to develop new tourism
products.

She also said during the trip, they had met about 50 media representatives in
New Zealand and Australia to promote Malaysia.

She also said the ministry had decided to close one of the three tourism offices
in Australia and open up a new one in Auckland, New Zealand as it targeted
receiving 100,000 New Zealand tourist arrivals by 2012.

Ng added that a group of six botanists, media representatives and travel agents
from Australia and New Zealand had come to Malaysia for a seven-day visit
beginning Sunday, to visit and view the parks and gardens in the country.

She said this was an outcome generated from her trip and that their visit was
part of the ministry's efforts to promote parks and gardens as a new tourist
product in view of Malaysia's unique flora.

She said this was due to Peninsular Malaysia having more 8,500 species of
flowering plants while Sabah and Sarawak had between 10,000 and 12,000 flowering
plants.

The ministry had identified at least 13 gardens located throughout
Malaysia which could be further promoted as a viable tourism product, she added.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters after receiving a courtesy visit from Qatar
Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (QTEA) chairman Ahmad Abdullah Al-Nuami at
here office here, Ng said Ramadan holiday packages would be further promoted
next year so as to attract more tourist arrivals from the Middle East.

"It is time Middle Easteners spend more time at home, and as such,
attractive tourism packages need to be lined up to get them to come to Malaysia
during the Ramadan period," she said.
(US$1=RM3.09)

-- BERNAMA