Choose Domestic Tourism To Help Boost Country's Economy - Tourism Malaysia

image: MITA Tourism Fair facebook

LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysians are encouraged to visit more local tourist spots instead of holidaying abroad to help boost the country's economy and domestic tourism industry.

Tourism Malaysia director-general, Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said domestic tourism could not be stepped up without the participation of the local populace.

"Domestic tourism had generated encouraging income for the national economy with the 11.6 per cent increase in local tourists from 54.4 million in 2013 to 60.7 million in 2014.

"Domestic tourists' expenditure also increased by 16.3 per cent from RM35.6 billion in 2013 to RM41.4 billion in 2014, and we hope for a bigger increase this year," he said at the MITA Tourism Fair 2016 (MTF) press conference, here, Tuesday.

Mirza said MTF 2016 from this Jan 29 to 31, promised visitors exciting domestic holiday offers by 150 display booths put up by 100 tourism operators to market their products.

The event, organised by the Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association (MITA), targets 20,000 visitors and sales worth RM10 million.

On the holding of the tourism fair, Mirza said Tourism Malaysia welcomed such an initiative to create a local travel culture in a planned manner.

"This fair will also enable all levels of our society to purchase directly the domestic tourism packages at reasonable and competitive prices.

"Besides that, the small tourism product suppliers could expose their products and services to the public," he added.
-bernama.