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Malaysia Moves to Revive Tourism Industry After Tsunami
Malaysia expects more than 16 million tourist arrivals this year and the government is planning more steps to restore confidence and revive the tourism industry. The tourism ministry is scheduled to open more offices abroad, considering the tourism potential in West Asia and China.
Although Malaysia recorded no tourist casualty in the tsunami disaster, the tourism industry has not been spared.
The waves that hit the north-western beaches of peninsular Malaysia on December 26 was a secondary tsunami unlike the giant waves that swept through Indonesia and Sri Lanka. More than 67 dead were all locals.
Even though there was no foreign tourist casualty, nor any damage to hotels and tourist attractions, business was nevertheless affected in the island resorts, especially along the tourism belt of Batu Ferringhi in Penang.
Tours from North Asia were especially hit. There has been a 20 percent cancellation rate as tourists steer away from Malaysia which is seen as being near the epicentre of the Sumatra quake.
So Malaysia's Tourism Ministry is embarking on an international campaign to dispel fears.
Dr Leo said: "It is a one-time impact from the incident of earth movement, the second occurence is very low. Scientists say it is almost zero because it happens once in a few hundred years. We are trying to disseminate information that Malaysia is still safe. There is no outbreak of disease, any breakdown of power failure all that."
To prove this, the ministry has invited media representatives as well as tour agents from 37 countries to Malaysia to assess the situation for themselves. In the long run, Malaysia is also improving facilities dedicated to tourism, especially at the beach hotels and resorts. This includes setting up more watch towers.
On average, Malaysia receives some 1.3 million visitors a month and authorities are confident, the tsunami disaster would not affect the government's annual targets. Agreeing, industry watchers say the bounce back would be much quicker than the September 11 incident in 2001 or the bird flu health scare in 2004, which saw tourist arrivals fall by half.
Ngiam Poon, Deputy President of Malaysia Association of Tour and Travel Agents, said: "Bearing in mind, this is a natural disaster. There is an absence of two key elements compared to the past - terror and uncertainty as in disease like the avian flu. There is the uncertainty of whether what is the situation and where is the cure."
While the industry players are hoping that the worst will be over in a month's time, restoring tourist confidence has been the utmost priority of countries like Malaysia where tourism is its second largest forex earner.
Kuala Lumpur 14/01/2005
