TOURISM MALAYSIA GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS IN DAMASCUS

DAMASCUS, May 12 (Bernama) -- Following a well-received promotional campaign in Jordan, Tourism Malaysia is now in Damascus to coax more Syrians to visit Malaysia.

Leading the charge is Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general for planning
Azizan Noordin, who arrived in the Syrian capital Monday evening after
travelling by land from Amman.

Malaysia welcomed 4,066 Syrian tourists in 2008, and 1,153 visitors from
this Arab republic of over 19 million people came to Malaysia during
January-March this year.

The Tourism Malaysia team present here includes its regional director for
Africa, West and South Asia Abdul Rahman Shaari and overseas director for Saudi
Arabia, Levant, Yemen and North Africa Ahmad Husni Ahmad Basri.

The rest of the delegation is made up of several hoteliers and travel
agents from Malaysia who took part in the Arabian Travel Market 2009 which
concluded in Dubai on Friday.

Tourism Malaysia is organising a travel market as well as a gala dinner
featuring a cultural performance, courtesy of Pak Ngah Production, which had
wowed the crowds in Dubai and Amman.

This year, Malaysia is focusing on niche products such as homestay
programme, ecotourism, health tourism, Malaysia My Second Home programme and
education.