Tourist arrivals drop by two million in 2015, says Nazri

Tourist arrivals to Malaysia dropped by two million last year compared to 2014, said Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz.

25.7 million tourists came to Malaysia last year, down from 27.4 million in 2014.

Tourist arrivals had been steadily increasing from 2011 until 2014 before the 2015 drop, said Nazri in a written parliamentary reply.

He added tourism revenue also dropped from RM72 billion in 2014 to RM69.1 billion last year.

Nazri was replying to a question by Abdul Manan Ismail (BN-Paya Besar) on tourism statistics from 2011 to 2015.

Last year the tourism minister commented on the falling ringgit saying it would be good for tourism.

Matta president Hamzah Rahmat had previously noted a drop in tourism due to several factors, including the 6 percent Goods And Services Tax, the depressed world and local economies and uncertainties in the current political situation. -Mkini