SEVERAL hundred specially invited guests from all over the world, joined by thousands of Malaysians, watched a fanfare of song and dance at a carnival in the heart of Kuala Lumpur one relaxed May evening in the Malaysian government’s latest mass demonstration of its determination to boost tourism growth.
The display was seen as a wholehearted affirmation that Malaysia was confident it would continue to attract hordes of tourists notwithstanding the current economic troubles in the Western world and adverse consequences foreseen elsewhere. Indeed, throughout the period of world economic recession and economic downturn that began in 2008, Malaysia has not seen a decline in tourist arrivals and tourism income.
Now, however, there is a ring of urgency. Arrivals last year numbering 24.7 million were nearly the same as in the previous year, 24.6 million, and figures from some usually strong markets dipped. Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen, who was seen swaying to the rhythm of traditional dance beats during the carnival, is pursuing the ambitious target of 36 million arrivals and RM160 billion ($50.4 billion) from the current level of 24.7 million arrivals and RM58.3 billion by 2020. That would entail building 40,000 additional four-star or five-star hotel rooms, adding destinations in airline networks and improving domestic and international connectivity, she has said. Developing new places of potential and repackaging existing destinations are also under consideration.
Ng’s ministry is masterminding events aimed at having foreigners flock in larger numbers to beach and wildlife resorts, international car rallies, bird-watching picnics, floral shows, trekking excursions, golf tournaments, and commercial extravaganzas as well as two internationally acclaimed music festivals – the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, July 13 to 15, and the Penang Island Jazz festival, November 29 to December 2.
Musa Yusof, a senior Malaysian tourism official, says there are many things going for Malaysia, among them political stability, a well-developed tourism infrastructure, natural and man-made tourist attractions and a population made up of diverse ethnic and multi-racial groups which he underlines are living in harmony. He also emphasizes that Malaysia has thankfully not suffered major catastrophic events, that it advances with global trends and technological advancements, has English as a widely spoken language, and enjoys a rich and diverse historical past with pleasant and warm weather.
Yusof adds, with a triumphant smile, that Malaysia is a “value-for-money destination”.
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The twin Petronas Towers (centre) and the Telecom Tower (right) grace the Kuala Lumpur skyline |
Tourism a key sector
Most Malaysians are fervently Islamic but tourism is fast assuming the status of an economic creed and serving as a means to guaranteeing affluence. The Ministry of Tourism has all hands on deck and a series of initiatives over the years including building infrastructure and getting the message out in well-crafted media campaigns has proved very effective. From a little over a decade from 2000, Malaysia saw a tripling of tourists and was listed in the 14th spot in 2011, the same as in the previous year, in world rankings in terms of receipts.
Malaysia’s attractions, be they the Kuala Lumpur sights or the rainforests and beach resorts, are seen as perfect products to exploit for hard cash that will help raise local standards of living. Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers are a hit among tourists not so much for featuring among the world’s tallest but for their striking beauty and the marvellous views they afford from on high. Though Kuala Lumpur is an attractive concrete jungle the real jungle is never far away. And while the city has evolved from palm oil plantations, tin mines and colonial homesteads, tropical forests are still laid out thick in patches within the city itself and just outside it. One of the options for tourists is a helicopter ride over the city’s most interesting locations. For eyes accustomed to the weariness of Arabian Gulf desert landscapes, Malaysia offers a ravishing break – from Kuala Lumpur all the way to the interior and the beaches. Aware that most tourists from outside Malaysia’s periphery enter through KL, Tourism Malaysia is encouraging visits, particularly by families, to a bird park in sylvan surroundings on the city’s outskirts and a marine world attraction within the city before they proceed to other destinations in the country.
Malaysia is working hard to draw tourists from the affluent Gulf states, reminding them of a common Islamic heritage but a contrast in climate and the natural environment. Still, the flow from the region is well below potential. Arrivals from the UAE dropped 5.6 per cent to 24,212 last year while Saudi Arabia performed better with a 1.1 per cent increase to 87,693. Being Islamic itself, Malaysia is also eyeing a reasonable share of the global Islamic travel market which according to one estimate will burgeon to $200 billion by 2020, twice that in 2010. Already, there is competition from non-Islamic destinations such as Germany, Australia and New Zealand who have made it one of their priorities to provide halal or halal-friendly services in important areas.
Getting together for a cause
At the Kuala Lumpur carnival, dubbed Colours of 1 Malaysia to reflect unity from diversity, just about everyone who had a role in tourism processed, danced, sang and acted his profession albeit for a few moments. There were taxi and coach drivers, mass transportation operators, cooks, representatives from the shopping and hotels sectors and traditional craftsmen and musicians – all happy to be players in the national endeavour to push tourism to greater heights. In the mission to project Malaysia to the world, the carnival was an example of Tourism Malaysia’s ambitious marketing. The tourism ministry has scored great success with its slogan “Malaysia, truly Asia” played out on international TV channels with short documentaries of the flora and fauna and culture.
On the eve of the carnival, the international guests were treated to traditional dance and craft at a Kuala Lumpur hotel. Most popular was a Ministry of Tourism 8-minute flagship musical CD that reflected the “Malaysia truly Asia” message and to whose strains young Malaysian artistes performed an abbreviated version of Malay, Chinese and Indian dances. The visitors were briefed on the subtleties of these dance forms and the best in a competition got to perform at a glittering event in the presence of Malaysian dignitaries later in the evening. What was easy to see was that Malaysians are vigorously presenting multiculturalism as a force for national unity and stability.
As well as encouraging tourists to sample pristine beaches and jungle hideouts, Malaysian tourism officials are marketing a more intimate and interactive service – home stays where tourists can live with local people engaged in traditional trades and observe customs and rites connected with their day to day lives and perhaps even have their own marital vows restated in the idyllic settings of their temporary homes as some have indeed done. Home stays have proved particularly popular among Japanese and Koreans, the officials say.
By Salvador Almeida