Bright future in tourism

KUALA LUMPUR: Parents should encourage their children to take up travel and tourism as the industry is growing at an unprecedented pace.

Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee said as the sector continued to expand, more experts in specific areas would be needed. The industry has grown five-fold in the past 14 years in terms of tourist arrivals and revenue, with 24.7 million tourists bringing in RM58.3bil last year. “With the way the tourism industry is growing, we need more specialists and experts. There are so many different areas to go into from hotels to tour agencies to the culinary arts,” he said.

Dr Wee said the industry currently employed 1.8 million people about 16% of the country's workforce. Dr Wee said this at MATTA's 2012 annual conference at PWTC here yesterday. The conference themed “Transforming Tourism Industry in Malaysia Towards 2020” was attended by 350 delegates. Dr Wee noted that among the initiatives to propel the industry towards achieving its goal of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168bil by 2020, were 12 entry point projects (EPP), organised under five broad themes that catered to different types of tourists.

The projects aim to position Malaysia on a global scale as a shopping haven, global biodiversity hub, family holiday destination, centre for entertainment and rejuvenation, and business tourism destination. “Shopping brings in the second largest share of tourist expenditure after accommodation, contributing RM17.8bil to the economy last year. “And, the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau assisted in organising 130 meetings and conventions, six exhibitions and 62 corporate incentive groups, which contributed about RM1bil to the country.”

Last night at the MATTA 37th anniversary dinner, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen urged tour operators to provide excellent service or face action. She said from January to May this year, the Ministry received 100 complaints with 75 involving tour operators.

-thestar online.