TOURISM TRANSFORMATION PLAN SET FOR LAUNCHING

SEREMBAN (Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia), Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The Tourism Ministry
has drawn up the Tourism Transformation Plan in an effort to make a quantum leap
in the tourism industry.

Its minister, Ng Yen Yen said the short-term and long-term plan targeted a five
per cent increase in tourist arrivals yearly and reaching 36 million by 2020.

"Our tourist arrival target last year was expected to reach 24 million while
this year, 25 million," she told reporters after the launch of the Magnum Cares
2011 here Thursday.

In another development, Ng told the ministry's officers to conduct surprise
checks on tour buses to ensure that they observe the conditions set in their
permits.

She said there were about 5,000 tour buses nationwide and it was important that
they complied with the rules to safeguard the safety of tourists.

On Dec 20, a tour bus carrying Thai tourists hit a divider and overturned as it
was returning from Cameron Highlands and killed 27 people and injured 10 others.

The double-decker was said to have been modified to increase its capacity.
-- BERNAMA