Nearly RM400 Million Spent To Promote Tourism From 2008 To 2010

(Bernama) – KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia spent approximately RM398.9 million on advertising between 2008 and last year to promote the tourism industry, locally and abroad.

Deputy Tourism Minister Dr James Dawos Mamit said the impact of the advertising campaign was visible in the increase in the number of foreign tourist arrivals to the country.

In 2008, he said, there were 22,052,488 foreign tourist arrivals, and the number increased by 7.2 per cent to 23,646,191, the following year.

“The number of tourist arrivals to Malaysia continued to increase by 3.9 per cent to 24,577,196 last year,” he said in reply to Senator Mariany Mohammad Yit in the Dewan Negara sitting here yesterday.

Mariany had wanted to know the volume of advertising expenses borne by the government to promote the country, and the number of tourist arrivals chalked between 2008 and last year.

Dawos said apart from advertising campaign, the ministry had also carried out trade missions to potential countries like China and India to lure tourists from there.

He said the missions were also participated by tourism industry players, like travel agencies, so that they could collaborate with local agencies in creating attractive travel packages for mutual benefit.

Dawos said the ministry had also received cooperation from Malaysian consulate offices, as well as Tourism Malaysia offices operating in 44 countries, to promote the tourism industry.

“Tourism Malaysia offices have also helped the ministry in analysing the potential tourist arrivals from where they were operating, besides participating actively in trade missions at their respective destinations,” he added.