MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE TO FORGE CLOSE COOPERATION IN DEVELOPING TOURISM INDUSTRY

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to forge
close cooperation in developing tourism industry, especially in homestay
programme, cruise tourism and eco-tourism.

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen said the agreement was reached
after she convened a meeting with Singapore's Second Minister for Trade and
Industry, S. Iswaran, who paid a courtesy call on her at her office here
Wednesday.

For a start, Ng said Malaysia would send a team to visit schools in
Singapore in a bid to promote Malaysian homestay experience and programmes among
the students.

"This is because the government of Singapore, through its Education
Ministry, has introduced a programme called Learning Journey, which provides an
allocation for students aged between 13 and 16 to visit other countries," she
told reporters.

Ng said Singapore was also willing to share their ideas and experience to
further develop the industry of cruise tourism.

She said the cooperation in eco-tourism, on the other hand, would enable
Malaysia to lure foreign tourists in Singapore especially from Moscow, as
Singapore had established direct flights with Russia.