China is a very important source of tourist arrivals for Malaysia, next only to the Southeast Asian region. Malaysia will continue to make efforts to upgrade its tourism service to woo more Chinese tourists, Deputy Tourism Minister Donald Lim Siang Chai said.

Like many other countries in the world, Malaysia places tourism sector, the green industry, in an important position in the economic map, which contributes a lot to foreign exchange earnings and economic prosperity, said Lim.

As the most populous country, China promises a huge potential market, and coupled with the fact Chinese visitors will encounter little difficulty in terms of communication given the large number of Malaysian citizens of Chinese origin in this tropical country, Malaysia holds high expectations and thinks its country should be a charming destination for Chinese tourists, said Lim.

He said he believes there is large room for the future growth of tourist arrivals from China. According to local statistics, the year 2005 saw some 350,000 tourist arrivals from the Chinese mainland, accounting for 2.2 per cent of the total foreign tourist arrivals. This year, the number is expected to reach more than 420, 000, registering a year-on-year increase of 20 per cent.

To facilitate the coming of Chinese tourists, the Malaysian government and the Ministry of Tourism have taken several measures, said Lim, which include the simplification of visa application process, the deployment of Chinese-speaking staff in international airports and the introduction of sign boards with Chinese versions in major scenic spots.

Meanwhile, the government will beef up efforts to curb some improper practice in the tourism sector, improve the infrastructure construction and urge local people to provide more friendly, up-to-standard In addition, the Tourism Ministry is considering opening offices in more cities in China, said Lim. Currently, the ministry has set up offices in four cities on the mainland, namely, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

Source:佚名