Travel advisories against Malaysia will not affect tourist arrivals, says minister
PETALING JAYA - The Tourism and Culture Ministry is confident of achieving its target of 30.5 million visitors this year despite travel advisories issued against Malaysia.
While its Minister Nazri Aziz said they were not taking such alerts lightly, he said it was normal for any government to issue travel advisories.
"It will be a very good year for us in spite of the travel advisories. I think if Malaysia projects itself as a must go destination with all its attractions, they will still come. They will have to go somewhere.
"If there is an IS threat in KL, then every city is a threat ... Paris, London. If we are to think that all these advisories are obstacles, then tourists can't go anywhere at all. They have to stay in their own country," he told The Star Online at his office here on Wednesday (February 24).
On Sunday, a travel advisory posted on the Australian department of foreign affairs and trade website said, "attacks could be indiscriminate and may target Western interests or locations frequented by Westerners" were possible targets.
It also advised Australians to "reconsider the need to travel to the coastal region of eastern Sabah”.
Last week, the UK also warned its citizens against travelling to coastal islands in Sabah’s east coast bordering the Philippines, citing kidnaps and other criminal threats against foreigners.
Asked if the beheading of Malaysian Bernard Then Ted Fun would affect the tourism industry in Sabah, Nazri said the past four months had seen a growth in arrivals there.
"Sabah is doing very well. The hotels are full," he said, adding that security in the east coast of the state especially, is tight.
Chinese tourists are expected to boost the overall arrivals in Malaysia with the ministry expecting four million of them this year compared to 1.5 million in 2015.
From March to the end of the year, Chinese tourists would not require a visa for entry into the country.
"We saw what Thailand did last year when they eased the visa requirements ... they received for million Chinese tourists altogether, " Nazri said, adding that the long-term target is to bring in eight million Chinese tourists.
Nazri said many Chinese tourists were going to Sabah as there direct flights to Kota Kinabalu, adding that its proximity to Hong Kong is an advantage.
"If they are flying to Sabah, they are flying to Malaysia," said Nazri.
In 2014, Malaysia registered 27.4 million tourist arrivals and 72 billion ringgit (US$17.07 billion) in receipts, making tourism its second largest foreign exchange earner.
Malaysia is targeting to achieve 36 million tourist arrivals and 168 billion ringgit ($39.84 billion) in receipts by 2020.
