"ONE MALAYSIA" HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN ENCHANTS INDIAN TRAVELLERS

By P.Vijian

CHENNAI, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The "One Malaysia Endless Experience" package
jointly promoted by Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines (MAS), which offers
an affordable package to woo more tourists, is becoming a hit in the Indian
market.

"The response was overwhelming. We received 1,500 bookings from passengers
since we launched the campaign last Monday in Delhi. We have offered 8,000 seats
and by the end of the campaign next month it could exceed 75 per cent," Azahar
Hamid, MAS regional manager for South Asia, told reporters.

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen, who arrived in Delhi last Sunday to
energise bilateral tourism between India and Malaysia, launched the "One
Malaysia" marketing campaign to draw more tourists to Malaysia.

The package, which includes a four-day/three-night stay, costs only Rs17,000
(RM1,260), and is about 30 per cent cheaper than the normal packages.

Regardless of the Influenza A(H1N1) disease threatening the travel industry
and the global economic slowdown, the ministry expects 600,000 Indians to visit
Malaysia this year, up from last year's 500,000.

Azahar said MAS also planned to increase flights to Chennai, a major gateway
to Malaysia, following an increase in the number of travellers visiting Malaysia
after a slight contraction in the previous months.

"There has been a good growth in Chennai; there has been a good turnaround.
We have plans to operate three morning flights, on top of the current seven
daily flights to Chennai and they are scheduled to begin in April 2010," he
added.

-- BERNAMA