JEDDAH, 7 May 2007 — This is Visit Malaysia Year, which coincides with the country’s 50th independence anniversary and Malaysia expects to receive 300,000 visitors from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East. A total of 20 million tourists are expected from all over the world. Malaysian Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan B. Tengku Mansor told a press conference in Jeddah on Saturday night that his country had relaxed visa procedure for many nationalities and offered attractive tourist packages.
“Saudis and certain other nationalities can get visas on arrival. We even have a plan for up to a 10-year multiple visa for certain categories,” the minister said.
Mansor said his country had 67,679 Saudi visitors in 2006, an increase of 26.1 percent over the previous year’s 53,672. “We are expecting more Saudis to visit during the year, as a number of them are discovering the country as a value-for-money destination. In fact, we want many more Saudi visitors to come as they are big spenders,” he added.
The minister said that a section of Kuala Lumpur is known as ‘Al-Ain’ and it caters to Arab and Middle East tourists, featuring various Arabic and Middle Eastern restaurants and clubs. At Kuala Lumpur Airport, Arabic speaking staff assist tourists from the Middle East; there are special immigration lanes for Arab tourists with families and special attention is paid to Arab tourists using the Express Rail transit with service and transfer via chauffeured limousines between Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal and the visitor’s destination in the city. Hotels and restaurants featuring halal food, hotel rooms with Arabic movies and cable TV, as well as entertainment outlets featuring Arabic culture and music are also on offer.
The country is also a preferred destination for education and medical tourism. The minister pointed out that some 55,000 foreign students are studying in Malaysia, which is politically, socially and economically stable and provides a peaceful and conducive environment. He added that the cost of living in Malaysia was cheaper and that the country was well equipped with modern infrastructure and state-of-the-art facilities. In 2006, about 300,000 foreign patients received medical treatment in the country, generating foreign exchange earnings of more than $27.63 million. “This segment is catching on because of some favorable factors including affordable costs and a wide selection of private medical centers with highly qualified professionals.”
The country has planned 240 events throughout the year, 50 of them major ones and five international mega-events. “All these events are presented in one golden celebration — a celebration that brings Malaysia to the world and the world to Malaysia,” Monsor said.
“Aside from these events our cultural heritage, delicious and varied cuisine, colorful festivals, international-class hospitality services and shopping places as well as medical and education tourism make the country a one-stop value-for-money destination,” said the minister who addressed local travel agents and tour operators.
