Tourist Arrivals From Kazakhstan Expected To Increase

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia aims at increasing tourist arrivals from Kazakhstan by 150 per cent following an overwhelming response to Tourism Malaysia promotion there. The positive response was gauged from a tourism seminar conducted in Kazakhstan's capital, Almaty today, said Tourism Malaysia and Donaplus Tour & Travel Sdn Bhd in a statement to Bernama. Attended by 130 tour and travel agents, the seminar is organized by Donaplus Tour & Travel and supported by Malaysian Embassy in Kazakhstan, Air Astana, Kazakhstan national carrier, and Tourism Malaysia. Air Astana sales director Madina Otrabayeva said there was a gradual increase in passenger traffic from Kazakhstan to Malaysia since the launch of the Almaty-Kuala Lumpur flight on Oct 30 last year. Donaplus business development director Gulnora Khamidova said 5,493 Kazakhstan tourists visited Malaysia between January and October last year or an average of 550 visitors a month. "Kazakhstan travel agents expect the number to increase as in January this year alone, 1,577 tourist arrivals from the country was recorded," he said, adding that on average most of them stayed seven days and spent RM8,200 each.