Chinese tourist arrivals down nearly a third

Tourism Malaysia to focus on smaller cities in China in a bid to woo more tourists.

GEORGE TOWN: Chinese arrivals are down by double digits since the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in March last year during a routine Kuala Lumpur-Beijing flight. The figures show that Chinese tourist arrivals dropped sharply by 27.1 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared with the corresponding period last year, said Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia, said its industry development division director Saidi Bundan, has embarked on a promotional strategy to attract Chinese from smaller cities in China, apart from the major ones like Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzuo. “Malaysia would be promoted and marketed as a top shopping destination to woo more Chinese.”

The strategy, he added, would be boosted by Kuala Lumpur’s consecutive fourth ranking in CNN’s world’s shopping cities in 2012 and 2013. “Kuala Lumpur was also ranked second best shopping destination in Asia Pacific by Globe Shopper Index in 2012.”

“The international recognition has promoted Kuala Lumpur as an international shopping hub just like New York, Tokyo and London.”

Shopping, after accommodation, was a major contributor to the country’s tourism revenue, continued Saidi. “Annually some RM21.6 billion or 30 per cent of RM72 billion tourist dollars are from shopping.”

Besides Kuala Lumpur, Tourism Malaysia was also promoting cities like Penang, Malacca, Johore Baru, Kota Kinabalu and Miri.

Another strategy was to organize the 1Malaysia Mega Sales Carnival in Penang from June 27 until August 31 targeting tourists from Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, Australia and New Zealand.

Regional maps on the location and description of malls would be made available to in-bound international tourists visiting Penang, Johor Baru, Malacca and other cities.