Malaysia To Attract 36 Million Tourists By 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is targeting to achieve 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in tourism receipts by 2020, said Tourism Deputy Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit. He said the ministry had drawn up strategies to build density, develop clusters and high-value sectors in the industry. Events such as the Genting Trailblazer, organised by Genting Malaysia Bhd, would befit the ministry's marketing efforts to strongly promote Malaysia's nature-based products and activities to a growing number of environmentally-conscious travellers, he said. "As one of the 12 mega-biodiversity country in the World, Malaysia has a huge potential to use these resources in a sustainable manner for wealth creation," he told a press conference after launching the Genting Trailblazer 2010, here Tuesday.

In this regard, Dawos highlighted that sports and adventure tourism events such as the Genting Trailblazer could be developed into high-value products that had great potentials in contributing significantly towards the growth of the tourism industry. Meanwhile, Senior Vice President Public Relations and Communications of Genting Malaysia Bhd Datuk Anthony Yeo said, the sixth edition of Genting Trailblazer came with an eco-friendly theme to promote a green mindset to preserve the local natural environment, specifically for the rainforest. The event themed "An eco run in a million-year-old rainforest" showed that the group was keen to showcase the wonderful bio-diversity and splendour of the world's oldest rainforest surrounding Awana Genting Highlands, he said.

"Trailblazer is committed to the environment, echoing the Ministry's call for 1Malaysia Green, 1Malaysia Clean campaign. "We will be working hand-in-hand with Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) to further promote the love of nature and minimal disruption to the environment, and also to promote 'Zero Waste' to deter the public from littering and to reuse available resources," he added. The two-day event to be held from Oct 30 is now open for online registration at www.gentingtrailblazer.com or email to trailblazer@genting.com until Sept 30.