East Asia Market To Focus On VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2014

KUNMING CITY, 25 OCT, 2013 –  Tourism Malaysia Chairman Dato’ Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen urged her Overseas Directors to focus on the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014 promotions with special emphasis on mega events that are  highly saleable to the East Asia market. 

She made this call to Tourism Malaysia’s overseas directors, deputy directors and marketing managers of the East Asian market during the Overseas Directors Regional Meeting which was held in Kunming City, China. Also present was Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director General, Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin.

“The meeting, coinciding with the China International Travel Mart (CITM) 2013, was organised to evaluate the overall performance for 2012 and the first of half of 2013 as well as to study the changing trends of the respective markets and the implication of the implementation of the China Tourism Act, which was expected to affect China outbound travel,” said Dato’ Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen. 

Among the Tourism Malaysia Chairman’s key messages to her officers were to embark on more joint promotions with corporate and private sectors as well as tour operators in the region including the  airlines in an effort to improve connectivity.

The meeting also deliberated on the trends amongst the East Asian market with preference especially among the free independent travellers (FIT) for islands and beaches as well as food and culture. 

Other discussions also covered the marketing strategy in terms of advertising, public relations and promotional activities such as seminars and road shows as well as participation in the international trade fairs and Mega Familiarisation Programme.

Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng had also attended the China International Travel Mart 203 which is held from 24 to 27 October at the Kunming International Convention and Exhibition Center, and had an audience with the Vice Governor of Yunnan Province, Mdm. Li Jiang. 

She also had a meeting with the Director of China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Mr. Shao Qi Wei  followed by a courtesy call to the Mayor of Kunming City, Mr. Li Wen Rong .

Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng will also attend the World Agrotourism Development Forum in Changsa City from 25 to 27 October where she will be presenting a paper on “Malaysia Homestay Experience”.

East Asia Market Tourism Performance 

Malaysia recorded a total of 943,756 Chinese tourists from January to June 2013 compared to 1,558,785 for the same period in 2012. Up until June this year, a total of 138,866 tourists from Taiwan visited Malaysia compared to 242,519 for the same period in 2012.

Malaysia is targeting 2 million tourist arrivals from China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and 273,500 tourists arrivals from Taiwan for 2014. Currently, there are a total of 396 flights per week from the East Asia market with a total of 91,053 capacity per week.
-Tourism Malaysia.