Malaysia On Track To Achieve VMY Targets, Says Mirza

SINGAPORE, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is on track to achieve its Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) growth target in terms of tourist arrivals by year's end, said Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab.

"VMY is on track in terms of our number target. We have our major challenges starting from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, then a few incidents of security in Sabah and finally the downing of flight MH17.

"Despite all that, I am pleased to report the reaction from neighbouring countries, particularly Singapore and Indonesia, have actually more than covered the setbacks that we got from markets like China in particular and the other long haul sector was actually a knee jerk effect after all the things that happened," he told Bernama.

Mirza was here to attend a Malaysian production musical theatre Bahayanya Wanita (The Dangers of a Woman) at the Star Theatre@the Star Performing Arts Centre here on Saturday. Among artistes performing include Zizan Razak, Umie Aida, Erra Fazira, Erma Fatima, Lana Nordin, Johan As'ari and Nora Danish.

Malaysia High Commissioner to Singapore, Datuk Husni Zai Yaacob and wife, Datin Norshiha Hasbullah, and Tourism Malaysia director for Singapore Noor Aine Ismail were among dignitaries, who attended. According to Mirza, the regional market had been supportive.

"With 10 per cent growth month to month until May, we will be there for VMY. We hope China (tourists) comes back, if China comes back we will be on a very strong footing," he said.

Mirza said similarly for the other markets, the drop in tourist arrivals was a temporary setback and believed with more effort they would be able to lure the tourists to Malaysia.

Following the missing MH370 incident, it was reported there was a reduction in the number of tourists from China to Malaysia.

Touching on the theatre, Mirza said the Tourism Board supported the effort of the organiser, who was featuring a Malaysian production to Singapore audience.

"We hope this kind of activity will not only generate revenue for the artistes and promoters, but also help to bridge better understanding between the people of the country it performs in and to understand about the culture of the country which the production is coming from," he said. He said the long term aim was to have a better understanding by exchange of visits.

The VMY 2014 initiative targets to attract a new record of 28 million international tourist arrivals and RM76 billion in tourist receipts.
-bernama.