Six German Cities To Be Targetted For Tourism Drive

MUNICH (Germany), May 28 (Bernama) -- Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen is targeting six German cities in a promotional drive to bring in more tourists if MAS reconsiders resuming direct flights from Munich to Malaysia. The six cities are Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne and Dusseldorf, she said after a meeting with German tour operators here Thursday. "With a total population of 83 million people, the potential is there. Last year, there was an increase of only 15 per cent, from 111,525 to 128,888 and only five Germans participating in Malaysia's 'My Second Home' scheme," she told Malaysian journalists Friday, before flying to Milan for another promotional drive. MAS, which has five direct flights to Malaysia from Frankfurt, stopped its Munich route, seven years ago. "The Germans are very much into culture, knowledge and education and we need to create greater awareness of Malaysia, especially among the younger generation, by upgrading the present website. This is very important", said Dr Ng. A think-tank, she said, would be formed and based in Frankfurt, to be headed by Malaysia's Ambassador-designate to Germany, Datuk Ibrahim Abdullah. The think-tank will look into ways to create awareness, especially culturally. "The think-tank will have to come up with more strategic, more tactical and more localised planning," she added.

The minister is especially, interested in the setting up of a cultural group, which would involve local German youths participating in Malaysian cultural events. "We have the budget for traditional clothes," said Dr Ng. Germany is the second largest country in Europe, in terms of tourist arrivals in Malaysia, after the UK. Dr Ng also spoke of the need to have more German-speaking tour guides. However, she said special permission would be given to big groups of German businessmen to bring their own interpreters and translators. "We must train our tour guides to speak German," she added. Last night, the minister hosted a reception at the Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Hotel in Munich for tour operators.