TOURISM INDUSTRY PLAYERS TOLD TO HELP PROMOTE LOCAL PRODUCTS

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- Tourism industry players in the country should help promote local products, including craftworks produced by the various ethnic groups, to help increase their sales, Deputy Tourism Minister Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib said Monday.

He said it was only apt that they give priority to promote locally produced
products to sell Malaysia to foreigners.

"We have many high quality craft products which are suitable to be displayed
for promotion at business premises in the country and abroad, as well as to be
given as gifts.

"There is no reason we should give precedence to foreign craft products,
including from Indonesia and Thailand, to be in our premises," he told reporters
after launching the National Tourism Award and Tourism Convention here Monday.

Sulaiman said the ministry would continue to promote the uniqueness of the
culture of the Malaysian multi-racial and ethnic society, as well as the
"Homestay" programme to provide opportunities for foreign tourists to experience
living with Malaysian families.

On the tourism award, he said 44 awards would be presented to tourism
industry players in the country for their contribution in promoting the country.

They would be judged based on their products, service and contributions to
the country's tourism industry, he added.

The award presentation would be held in December.

The National Tourism Convention, themed "Tourism Trends and Demand - Shaping
the Future", will be held next month.

The objectives of the convention include to facilitate exchange of ideas
between industry players in tourism, discuss orientations in tourism that
promote the attainment of lasting economic and social development, propose
suitable solutions to ensure resilience and sustainability in the tourism
industry and to explore new product development.

-- BERNAMA