Malaysia not fretting about drop in visitors from Singapore

Year-to-date arrival figures for 2012 showed a fall in numbers from Malaysia’s biggest market, but Tourism Malaysia’s office here believes there is no cause for worry even as the destination gears up for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014.

Speaking to TTG Asia yesterday on the sidelines of a welcome and farewell party for Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore directors, incoming director Noor Aine Ismail said between January and September 2012, there were 9.3 million arrivals from Singapore, a 5.1 per cent decline over the same period in 2011.

However, she believes the main reason for this drop is an administrative one. From last January, visitors to the country were logged according to their nationality rather than country of residence, effectively leaving out Singapore’s huge chunk of expatriates from the tally.

This year’s target is a three to five per cent increase in arrivals over 2012, a figure that Noor Aine feels is attainable, considering that her office would also be receiving additional budget in the run-up to VMY 2014. While the actual amount is still unknown for now, she said this would help in the organising of more activities in the market starting this year.

A new event planned for 2013 is a laksa food fair, which will showcase Malaysia’s many different takes on the dish. Consumer shows such as the Malaysia Truly Asia Travel Fair and product seminars for the trade will also continue.

“We will try to build interest in Singaporeans to go beyond common destinations like Johor Bahru, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur to places like Perak, islands off the East Coast, as well as Sabah and Sarawak. We will invite state (tourism representatives) and product owners to participate alongside us in fairs,” she said.

Formerly a deputy director in the international marketing division covering Europe, the Americas and Oceania, Noor Aine explained that unlike reaching out to those regions, efforts in Singapore would be more “mass”. However, she noted a few up-and-coming special interest segments in Singapore that her office would be zooming in on, such as cycling trips and homestays.

Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia’s Singapore outgoing director Zalizam Zakaria has been posted back to HQ.

-TTG Asia.