Shoe Promotion To Be Intensified In The Middle East

DUBAI, May 2 (Bernama) - The Tourism Ministry will intensify promotions of the next Malaysian International Shoe Festival (MISF) in the Middle East to attract more Arab tourists. Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said middle eastern tourists had an interest and appreciation for Malaysian-made shoes which they regarded as unique, creative and of good quality.

"All Tourism Malaysia directors in the middle eastern countries were asked to plan for early promotions so that more Arabs would gather at the festival next year," she told Bernama after meeting the Consul General of Malaysia in Dubai, Ahmad Fadil Shamsudin, and Tourism Malaysia's senior officers here Monday. Ng led an 82-member Malaysian delegation to Dubai for the Arabian Travel Market 2011 being held from May 2 to 5 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC).

She said the four-day MISF 2011 held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur last month managed to ring up sales of RM7 million from 60,000 visitors. "Malaysia made shoes are now popular, not only in the Asean region, but also Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East," she said. She said Tourism Ambassador and world-renowned shoe designer Prof Datuk Dr Jimmy Choo also helped to boost the market for locally made shoes. Dr Ng added that tourists from the middle east were also attracted to tourism products which are related to resorts, islands, golf courses and shopping.

-Bernama