Doorway to Turkish tourism market 'wide open'

KUALA LUMPUR: The door to luring Turkish tourists to Malaysia is 'wide open,' but Malaysia has yet to fully tap its tourism market, said Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia Serap Ataay. "Turkish people love to go on holidays. "While many of them travel to Europe and Australia, Malaysia is yet to be a preferred destination. "A lot can be done," Ataay said, adding that 29,000 Malaysians visited Turkey last year. "However, only around 8,000 Turks visited Malaysia, a figure I believe can increase with proper promotion from Malaysia.

"Malaysia's tourism performance is impressive. "Both countries can exchange experiences and encourage our companies and hotels to invest in one another's country," she said in a recent interview. Ataay added that Turkish Airlines would start its direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Istanbul next year. She anticipates the direct flights to benefit tourism and trade relations.

On trade relations, Ataay said there had been encouraging progress in the establishment of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and Turkey. A deal would soon be struck by both countries by next year, she added. "So far, considerable progress was achieved and both sides aim to finalise negotiations sometime next year," she said. Ataay said Malaysia had given much importance to conclude an FTA with Turkey, with the International Trade and Industry Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat directly involved in negotiations.

Malaysia is the first country in the Asean region to hold such negotiations with Turkey, said Ataay. "While we have approached Asean countries to start FTA talks, I am very pleased that Malaysia was the first to reply favourably," she added. On her plans to further strengthen the relationship between both countries, Ataay said she would focus on high-level official visits. "We are expecting to host Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the short term, as it is Malaysia's turn to visit Turkey. The last visits from Malaysia were in 1992, 1997 and 1988, respectively," she said.

-thestar online.