Malaysia Tourism
Malaysia: Tourism target hit by high costs, limited budget
Malaysia will miss this year's target of 22.5 million tourist arrivals because of the higher cost of promotions, stiff competition from other destinations and domestic uncertainties, reported
local daily The New Straits Times on Monday.
Tourism Malaysia, a government agency to promote the industry, plans to seek a revision of the target set by the government, its senior official said.
The agency now expects that it will attract 21.5 million tourists this year, one million short of the initial target. Still, the figure will be three per cent higher than the 20.9 million arrivals last
year, instead of eight percent.
The shortfall of one million tourists is likely to cause some 2-billion ringgit loss in foreign receipts.
"It will be a challenge to reach the 22.5 million tourist arrival target," Tourism Malaysia director-general Mirza Taiyab said.
"We are preparing a paper to be sent to the government to request a review of the target set. A review is necessary," Mirza said, adding that a more realistic figure would be 21.5 million.
Mirza was responding to a query on whether Malaysia would meet its tourist arrival target as it had failed to attract even half the number in the first six months.
Malaysia needs 11.4 million visitors between July and December this year, or 1.92 million tourists each month, to reach the goal. In the first six months, the country welcomed 10.96 million
tourists.
A limited budget is also making it tough for Tourism Malaysia to carry out promotional activities.
"We have reached saturation point. To go beyond what we are doing and to do things differently, we will need additional budget," Mirza said.
"We are seeking a little bit more from the government. We would like them to take into account inflation and loss of value from foreign exchange. The cost of buying media has
increased." He said that in the past 10 years, the cost of buying
Malaysia will miss this year's target of 22.5 million tourist arrivals because of the higher cost of promotions, stiff competition from other destinations and domestic uncertainties, reported
local daily The New Straits Times on Monday.
Tourism Malaysia, a government agency to promote the industry, plans to seek a revision of the target set by the government, its senior official said.
The agency now expects that it will attract 21.5 million tourists this year, one million short of the initial target. Still, the figure will be three per cent higher than the 20.9 million arrivals last
year, instead of eight percent.
The shortfall of one million tourists is likely to cause some 2-billion ringgit loss in foreign receipts.
"It will be a challenge to reach the 22.5 million tourist arrival target," Tourism Malaysia director-general Mirza Taiyab said.
"We are preparing a paper to be sent to the government to request a review of the target set. A review is necessary," Mirza said, adding that a more realistic figure would be 21.5 million.
Mirza was responding to a query on whether Malaysia would meet its tourist arrival target as it had failed to attract even half the number in the first six months.
Malaysia needs 11.4 million visitors between July and December this year, or 1.92 million tourists each month, to reach the goal. In the first six months, the country welcomed 10.96 million
tourists.
A limited budget is also making it tough for Tourism Malaysia to carry out promotional activities.
"We have reached saturation point. To go beyond what we are doing and to do things differently, we will need additional budget," Mirza said.
"We are seeking a little bit more from the government. We would like them to take into account inflation and loss of value from foreign exchange. The cost of buying media has
increased." He said that in the past 10 years, the cost of buying