‘Malaysia needs more focused and strategic tourism promos’

PETALING JAYA: The native tourism business is on the highway to restoration, having seen round a million arrivals since worldwide borders had been reopened – however extra work is required earlier than we are able to get away the champagne.

Trade gamers stated extra effort is required to make sure Malaysia regains its spot as the highest vacationer vacation spot in South-East Asia, which it held 5 years in the past.

Malaysian Affiliation of Tour and Journey Brokers (MATTA) president Datuk Tan Kok Liang stated Malaysia has acquired round a million vacationer arrivals because the authorities lifted restrictions on worldwide journey, and he’s assured that we may simply attain the five-million mark by the top of the yr.

“We’re optimistic as international locations from the European Union, Australia, South Korea and India, and different Asean nations, have been giving us constructive suggestions,” he stated.

Nevertheless, Malaysia ought to undertake a extra segmented advertising technique to draw extra vacationers, Tan stated.

“Each nation has its personal uniqueness, however there are additionally similarities. If we are saying we now have good meals, Indonesia and Singapore would say the identical; if we pitch ourselves as being a nature-based vacation spot, Indonesia and Thailand are additionally doing the identical factor.

“So, we now have to go for these with particular pursuits – for instance, if we want to promote Malaysia in Scandinavian international locations, maybe we are able to spotlight our pure points of interest as a result of we all know they love nature,” he added.

Tan stated extra concerted promotional efforts by the federal government and personal sector, particularly on tradition and ecotourism, are additionally wanted for Malaysia to penetrate the US market.

The USA is big, however Tourism Malaysia has just one full-fledged workplace – in New York Metropolis, he added.

“My opinion is that Malaysia would have the ability to penetrate the US market properly if extra consideration and focus is given.

“A lot of different nationwide vacationer organisations are listening to the USA – Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates every have two or three places of work and representatives,” he stated.

Malaysia Vacationer Guides Council (MTGC) president Jimmy Leong Wie Kong stated Malaysia is in want of a greater “method” to draw vacationers and regain its spot as one of many prime vacationer points of interest in Asean.

“If we have a look at the ten South-East Asian international locations, our reputation as a vacationer vacation spot over the past 5 years has dropped to fourth.

“We’re on this state of affairs now as a result of different international locations are following what we now have been doing and turning into very profitable in attracting vacationers,” he stated.

Leong stated the federal government, tour operators and even the general public have a job to play to make sure that vacationers benefit from the experiences they had been promised and have their expectations fulfilled.

“What encourages vacationers to go to or revisit a vacation spot is the expertise.

“The federal government launched the ‘Malaysia Really Asia’ marketing campaign and has organised promotional actions, however these won’t be efficient if tour operators don’t promote packages that swimsuit this marketing campaign.

“And even when they do, we now have to additionally be sure that when the vacationers arrive right here, they’ll obtain the expertise by way of infrastructure and high quality of our companies promised to them,” he added.

Leong stated the “true Malaysian expertise” might be finest delivered by licensed vacationer guides who’ve been skilled to host these guests.

“We must also faucet into our wealthy heritage and give attention to small vacationer teams, which is a fast-growing pattern, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At present, vacationers journey in smaller numbers, so we now have to customize our packages to allow them to expertise one of the best of our nation.

“Aside from that, we are able to additionally promote our wealthy historical past – for instance Melaka, which is standard for its historical past from the Portuguese and Dutch period. That is among the many issues that may hyperlink us with vacationers.

“We even have our royal households and their historic backgrounds, which we don’t actually spotlight. So, I feel each state ought to look rigorously at their wealthy heritage that may be capitalised,” he added.