Malaysia, Truly Asia

As the world celebrates World Tourism Day today, Malaysia highlights its beauty and authenticity. A diverse array of ethnic groups, cultures, festivals and events earned our tourism industry a whopping RM56.4bil last year.

“We are gearing towards RM168bil by 2020,” Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen told a press conference at the Malaysia Tourism Centre last week. “We are expecting tourism to be the nation's main source of income. At present, it comes in fifth after oil and gas, palm oil, manufacturing, and retail.”

Among the tourism-oriented events that earned Dr Ng's favour was theThe 1Malaysia International Tourism Night Flora Parade 2011 in July, a mesmerising display of glittery boats at the Putrajaya Lake. The international competition, titled “Magic of The Night”, attracted participants from 13 countries and organisations. The event served as a platform to showcase to the world Malaysia's diversity, richness in nature, culture and heritage.

“Another prominent facet of Malaysian culture is the great variety of food we have here,” Dr Ng said. Working with restaurants and street hawkers, the Tourism Ministry staged the Fabulous Food 1Malaysia 2011 gourmet festival in September. “Our tourism industry employs approximately 10% of the national labour force. These are jobs in the hotel, transportation and entertainment industries, among others.”

Then there's shopping. It is a year-round activity in Malaysia, but it is during the major mega sales three times a year that shoppers enjoy some of the best deals. “Malaysia is gearing towards becoming a renowned shopping destination,” Dr Ng declared.

Our country's expertise in the footwear industry was highlighted at the Malaysia International Shoe Festival 2011 in April when a collection of 40 brands of local and international footwear was paraded. Art is another area that has been explored. Every year, from July to September, local artists get to showcase their work at the 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism Festival.

“In 2010, we sold RM14.4mil worth of art. It was very exciting as we had also carried out our first auction. The most expensive item sold at RM157,000. We are scaling up our level of sophistication,” Dr Ng said.

Beautiful scenery and exciting sports await the outdoor lover. Malaysia boasts a lush, green 130 million-year-old jungle, a haven for trekking, bird watching and a host of other activities, making ecotourism a perfect revenue generator. With over a thousand islands, Malaysia's beaches, similarly, offer miles of smooth, soft sand while its waters teem with colourful, exotic marine life. Divers and water sportsmen can have a field day in the ocean while other holiday seekers can experience warm, authentic Malaysian hospitality throughout the islands.

Foreigners and local city folk who wish for a getaway in the outskirts can choose from over 3,000 government-certified homestay centres throughout Malaysia. “Homestay is an excellent income generator for people living in rural areas and makes a wonderful, authentic experience for tourists,” Dr Ng says.

“Last year, 8,000 saplings were planted under the the Plant A Treeprogramme for foreign tourists during homestays. “We are proud of Malaysia's diversity. Tourists can savour a different experience on each visit.”

-thestar online.