RM56.5b revenue from 24.6 million tourists
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 24.6 million tourists arrived in Malaysia and spent RM56.5 billion last year.
Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said this was an increase from 2009 where 23.6 million tourists spent a total of RM53.4 billion.
"Tourism is the second largest industry in the country after manufacturing and has been growing since 2000 with international arrivals increasing by nine per cent every year," he said.
Speaking at a press conference after opening the Malaysian Tourism Fair 2011, Dr Mamit said domestic tourism was equally encouraging with a revenue of RM25.98 billion.
He said this was an increase of 23 per cent compared with the RM21.1 billion domestic travellers contributed in 2008.
Dr Mamit said in 2009, 90.5 million visitors travelled all over the country's local tourist destinations compared with the 63.3 million in 2008.
"The increase of domestic travel from year to year has been significant, registering an average growth of 20 per cent," he added.
He said Malaysia had secured number nine spot in the list of most visited countries in the world and added that there was a need to identify and develop new tourism products to keep the tourists coming. He said there were still states like Sarawak which had yet to be developed for tourism purposes.
Dr Mamit said a foreign tourist spent an average of RM3,000 while on holiday here.
"Iranians are the highest spenders here, spending an average of RM7,000. Other Middle Eastern tourists spend an average of RM6,500," he said, adding that an average Australian would spend RM4,000. He said Malaysia continued to be a favourite destination among tourists because it was safe and politically stable, with hospitable and friendly people.
He was confident that destinations in Malaysia such as Langkawi, could become more popular than Bali, Indonesia, as Malaysia had more things to offer.
Dr Mamit said from the overall 90.5 million visitors in 2009, Kuala Lumpur received 11.77 million domestic tourists and was also the number one destination among foreigners. This was followed by Sarawak with 10.32 million and Johor with 8.23 million visitors.
Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said this was an increase from 2009 where 23.6 million tourists spent a total of RM53.4 billion.
"Tourism is the second largest industry in the country after manufacturing and has been growing since 2000 with international arrivals increasing by nine per cent every year," he said.
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Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit (fourth from left) launching a 1Malaysia stall at the Malaysian Tourism Fair at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. — NST picture by Ghazali Bujang |
He said this was an increase of 23 per cent compared with the RM21.1 billion domestic travellers contributed in 2008.
Dr Mamit said in 2009, 90.5 million visitors travelled all over the country's local tourist destinations compared with the 63.3 million in 2008.
"The increase of domestic travel from year to year has been significant, registering an average growth of 20 per cent," he added.
He said Malaysia had secured number nine spot in the list of most visited countries in the world and added that there was a need to identify and develop new tourism products to keep the tourists coming. He said there were still states like Sarawak which had yet to be developed for tourism purposes.
Dr Mamit said a foreign tourist spent an average of RM3,000 while on holiday here.
"Iranians are the highest spenders here, spending an average of RM7,000. Other Middle Eastern tourists spend an average of RM6,500," he said, adding that an average Australian would spend RM4,000. He said Malaysia continued to be a favourite destination among tourists because it was safe and politically stable, with hospitable and friendly people.
He was confident that destinations in Malaysia such as Langkawi, could become more popular than Bali, Indonesia, as Malaysia had more things to offer.
Dr Mamit said from the overall 90.5 million visitors in 2009, Kuala Lumpur received 11.77 million domestic tourists and was also the number one destination among foreigners. This was followed by Sarawak with 10.32 million and Johor with 8.23 million visitors.
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