Malaysia To Take Part In Arabian Travel Market In Dubai

DUBAI, April 21 (Bernama) -- Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen will lead a 120-member Malaysian delegation from 83 organisations to the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2010, scheduled to take place here from May 4 to 7. 2010 marks Malaysia's 17th year of participation at the ATM, the largest trade and consumer travel show in the Gulf region, according to a statement from Tourism Malaysia. With representatives from both the government and private sector, the delegation consists of 54 hotels, 22 travel and tour operators, six state governments and Malaysia Airlines. Dr Ng will also lead Malaysia's post-ATM 2010 sales mission and road show to Kuwait and Qatar from May 8 to 12, aimed at further promoting Malaysia as a tourist destination.

The minister will be accompanied by Azizan Noordin, Tourism Malaysia's deputy director-general for planning. Among others, the sales mission will showcase a business session and a dinner at the Sheraton Kuwait Hotel in Kuwait and the Four Seasons hotel in Doha, Qatar. Fifteen hotels, seven travel and tour operators, a state government and Malaysia Airlines will be joining Dr Ng on the road show to the Gulf cities. "During the mission, the delegation will hold meetings with the local travel trade players in the respective cities," said Tourism Malaysia. The statement also said that a media conference on tourism developments in Malaysia and the launch of 1Malaysia Package 2010 will be held on May 9 at the Sheraton Kuwait Hotel at 12.30pm.

Malaysia recorded 23.6 million visitors last year, with a 7.2 per cent growth, as compared to 2008. Last year, the West Asian market registered 284,890 visitors with a growth of 7.8 per cent over 2008 (264,338). Of this, 20,170 visitors were from Kuwait, as compared to 18,853 in 2008 (up by seven per cent), and 4,257 from Qatar over 7,808 in 2008 (down by 45.5 per cent). The promotion in West Asia is based on travel packages coupled with high standard quality services and products. Key segments promoted in West Asia market include leisure holidays such as beaches and islands, shopping, dining, eco-tourism and MICE packages. Special interest promotions are education tourism, medical and health tourism, honeymoon, spa and Malaysia My Second Home programme.

In the context of medical and health tourism, Malaysia is among the popular destinations for health tourists from West Asia. "It is fast emerging as a value-for-money destination with world-class health and state-of-the-art medical facilities as Malaysia has over 200 international standard hospital and clinics," said Tourism Malaysia. Similarly, the good exchange rate has attributed to the growth in education tourism, thus making Malaysia a centre of research and educational excellence."Twinning programmes with foreign universities have made it affordable for students from West Asia to pursue their tertiary education in Malaysia," the tourism promotion agency added. Malaysia received an award in 2007 for being the number one holiday destination for United Arab Emirates' residents by Asfaar magazine, a prominent travel magazine in the UAE.