TOURISM Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has spent RM3.25mil on her overseas trips since she assumed office last year. In a written reply to Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat (BN - Pandan), Dr Ng said RM1.67mil was spent on official overseas trips in 2009 while RM1.58mil was spent from January to October. “Up to October 2010, there have been 16 visits involving 26 countries and 61 cities since I became Tourism Minister,” she said in her reply dated Tuesday and made available to the press by Rasah DAP MP Anthony Loke.
Dr Ng said her promotional visits overseas had enhanced tourist arrivals in Malaysia by 5.2%. “About 16.18 million visitors arrived here between January and August compared with 15.38 million in the same period in 2009,” she added. “With the rise in tourist arrivals in 2009, the country’s income rose by 7.7% from RM49.56bil in 2008 to RM53.36bil last year.” Dr Ng said Malaysia was also in ninth place among 10 most visited countries in the world last year, adding that her foreign visits were an effective strategy in promoting Malaysia. “Foreign tourists will want more information about Malaysia. With these missions, we will be able to interact with their media, relevant agencies and the leaders of the foreign countries,” Dr Ng said.
Meanwhile, Loke pointed out several mistakes in the Malaysian tourism brochures distributed at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. In a press conference at the Parliament lobby, Loke said the brochures which were printed in English contained 11 spelling mistakes. “One part of a sentence read, ‘To know more about Malaysia, we incite you to step into the Malaysia Pavilion.’ “Taman Negara was spelt ‘Taman Nerara’, visitors became ‘visitous’ and beautiful was spelt ‘beautuful’. How can the writers be so careless?”
-thestar online.
Dr Ng is only concentrate on international promotions. Domestic promotions have been taken a back seat. Event the TV commercial was recycle from the last campaign.
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