Malaysia's one-to-one target

 

Tourism Malaysia’s global campaign ‘Visit Malaysia Year 2014’, is set to drive 28 million tourists to the country next year, representing a one-to-one ratio in terms of the country’s population and targeted visitor arrivals.
 

Of that 28 million, the campaign hopes to target ‘at least 80,000 to 90,000 Kiwis’, a 30% increase on 2012, according to Malaysia’s new Minister of Tourism and Culture, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, who is in Auckland as part of an Australasian roadshow this week.
 

Malaysia’s visitor arrivals from New Zealand in 2012 dropped 19.2% on 2011 figures, to 65,726, and Aziz cites Air Asia’s ceased service from Christchurch last year as a reason for the decrease.
 

‘Now we hope New Zealanders will travel to Kuala Lumpur through our national airline Malaysia Airlines, which flies direct to KL from New Zealand six times a week,’ says Aziz. Singapore Airlines and Jetstar fly via Singapore, with connections to all main Malaysian centres.
 

Culture and tourism

The VMY 2014 campaign is pushing Malaysia’s culture and tourism as ‘the perfect marriage’ with more than 100 special events in 2014 underpinning the attraction of the campaign.
 

Events include the Petronas Formula 1 Grand Prix in March (a highlight on Malaysia’s sporting calendar), the International Shoe Festival in April (Malaysian Jimmy Choo is one of the world’s most famous shoe designers) and the Mega Sale Carnival.

‘Whereas Auckland is the City of Sails, Kuala Lumpur is the City of Sales,’ quipped Aziz.

Culture, such as traditional Malaysian dance, is being pushed through the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign

Dato' Mirza Mohamed Taiyab and Hon Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Tourism Malaysia are in Auckland as part of a global roadshow promoting the roadshow

Business tourism - Asia-Pac aim

MyCEB (Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau) is pleased with the rate of business events secured in Malaysia since the bureau’s inception three years ago. ‘We have gone in very aggressively,’ says Tony Nagamaiah, general manager Malaysia Major Events.

‘Our goal by 2020 is to be in the top five of the Asia Pacific ranking by International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), we’re currently number nine.’

- www.travelinc.co.nz