KUALA LUMPUR, 28 June 2003 — With the worldwide SARS scare subsiding, Malaysian officials hope to see the local tourism industry recovering in the coming months, with officials saying they expect to receive more than to 15.3 million alone this year.
Officials lamented that the industry had not been spared by the slump in tourist arrival as a result of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, even though Malaysia’s SARS record was far better than reported.
In a meeting with a large media delegation from Saudi Arabia here in Kuala Lumpur during the recent annual “mega familiarization program,” the mayor of Kuala Lumpur pointed out that Malaysia’s share of SARS cases was minuscule compared to the world record.
Out of the total 7,761 SARS cases reported worldwide as of late May by the World Health Organization (WHO), Malaysia accounted only for 389, the mayor said. Of the 623 deaths recorded from 32 countries, Malaysia had only two, or a negligible 0.32 percent of the world total.
“In fact, most of the suspected cases have recovered or were false alarms not related to SARS,” he said.
While the battle against SARS having been won, major precautionary measures are still being taken to ensure that Malaysia remains safe from the disease, said Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Shiekh Fadzir, minister of culture, arts and tourism.
All entry points remain fully secured and incoming tourists and travelers are screened and scanned with thermal scanners and other devices to detect potential cases and where necessary quarantine suspected SARS cases.
Abdul Kadir said the next challenge now is to restore tourist confidence in their country by demonstrating that Malaysia is a safe tourist haven.
“All measures taken are a reflection of the government’s decisive action to ensure that Malaysia is a safe destination for tourists and I would like to assure Saudi tourists that the situation is under control and it is as normal as any other time. We consider Saudis as one of main guests and they will always feel at home because of our tourist facilities suitable for Muslim families,” he said.
The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism is spending 900 million ringgits to restore tourist confidence. Just recently, the minister visited India to talk with airline and travel agency representatives and authorities about Malaysia. He also plans to visit the Middle East.
Datuk Abdullah Hj Jonid, Malaysia’s director general for tourism, said the Southeast Asian nation is ready up to 15.3 million tourists this year.
“Last year we have reached the number of 13.3 million tourists and we are expecting to get more this year despite the global crises,” he said.
The officials said about 250,000 tourists from the Middle East are expected to come this year.
“In 2002, about 131,800 tourists from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Syria visited Malaysia. This figure was 14.8 percent higher than the number of arrivals recorded the previous year,” said the mayor of Kuala Lumpur.
He said Saudi tourists are expected to lead all other Mideastern countries. Last year, 45,000 Saudi visitors were recorded.
Malaysian Airlines, along with hotels and travel agents, are also going all-out by offering innovative and attractive holiday packages particularly for Saudis this year.
During the familiarization program, the Malaysian Culture Ministry showed delegations from Saudi Arabia and other countries what the country has in store for tourists.
The delegations were shown the annual Colours of Malaysia Festival, depicting Malaysia’s enduring blend of culture and tradition that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Malaysia’s population of approximately 22 million people represents a colorful mosaic of Malays, indigenous ethnic groups, Chinese, Indians and Westerners.
