MALAYSIA, A PREMIER TRAVEL DESTINATION
Our public buses have been urging us to ‘VISIT MALAYSIA‘ and their advertising campaigns featuring Malaysia’s attractions such as the unique proboscis monkey and world-famous dive site Pulau Sipadan have already seen a 10.2% increase in visitors in the first quarter of 2014.
If we needed any more encouragement to take a break from Singapore and head over to see what Malaysia has to offer us, then the visit by Malaysia’s Tourism and Culture Minister YB Dado’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz was a rather timely one.
We went along to the press conference lead by YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri as he set out on leading a three-day sales mission to promote Malaysia Truly Asia 2014.
As neighbours, Singapore is intertwined with Malaysia and shares many similarities in foods, lingo and slang making it a go-to destination for many Singaporeans. Having said that, the Singaporean tourist should look beyond the familiar sites such as Cameron Highlands and look further afield for their next family fun or relaxing destination.
Special interest holidays made easy in Malaysia – Choosing a Spa in a tropical rainforest or a theme park for the young at heard, you are sure to enjoy breathtaking views, sights and sounds in the lush natural beauty of the country. Langkawi for excellent dive spots as well as a paradise for golfers or maybe an exciting sailboat holiday with a fishing trip to go along. Whatever gets your pulse racing or wherever you find your relaxation, Malaysia seems to offer it all.
Since the fatal flight of MH370 though, Malaysia has seen a 0.1% – 0.2% cancelation of tourists traveling from China. Having said this, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri states that he is confident the impact of the missing flight will not be as bad as feared when the second quarter figures are released. It is a concern though, especially when China is the number 3 in the tourist market coming to Malaysia.
Tourists traveling from Singapore to Malaysia by air and sea saw a positive growth in the first quarter of this year. In the first three months of 2014, a total of 3.5 million Singapore tourists visited Malaysia, registering an increase of 10.2% compared to 3.2 million tourists of the same period last year.
When asked about the bottle necks often experienced at the land border to Malaysia, the Tourist Minister said that, although 2 entry roads are in use already, “we are looking into a third to be installed to help ease the problem at border crossings. There is no set date for this to be in use, but planning is in progress and execution will be as soon as ever possible”. Good news for Singaporeans looking for a quick and stress free break from the hustle of our City.
With more 5-star hotels in the planning and many more home stay locations ready to accommodate tourists from, not only Singapore but worldwide, it has to be said that Malaysia does seem to have something for everyone and is such an easy and exciting destination for families, young and old.
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DETAILS:
For more information or to plan your visit to Malaysia, please visit tourismmalaysia.gov.my
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