Tourism Malaysia, the promotion board under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, is participating once again in the Arabian Travel Market with the country’s tourism trade partners, to promote Malaysia to the Middle Eastern market. Showcasing the latest attractions and destinations for shopping, family fun, eco-adventure, honeymoons, luxury holidays, Malaysia will also underscore its reputation as a safe travel destination.
Participating at ATM 2022, the Malaysian delegation is led by The Honourable Minister Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. The Malaysia Pavilion consists of 64 delegates representing 32 organisations, eager to meet key industry buyers from the Middle East.
Malaysia reopened its borders to international tourists on April 1, 2022. Commenting, Dato’ Sri Nancy said, “It was indeed a significant milestone for our tourism industry as we welcome more international visitors, first time and returning visitors alike, to further boost our economy. Now that our borders are fully open again, we are confident that we will witness a strong rebound in tourism numbers, to bolster the recovery of our economy. We estimate two million international tourist arrivals this year generating more than RM8.6 billion (AED7.5 billion) in tourism receipts.”
Pre-pandemic, in 2019, Malaysia received 397,726 tourists from MENA region. Saudi Arabia was Malaysia’s top market, accounting for 121,444 tourists, more than 30 per cent of arrivals, from the West Asia and North African regions, an 8.2 per cent increase over the previous year.
The Malaysian delegation is comprised of hotels and resorts, travel agents, tourism product owners, and representatives from state tourism boards. During the four-day event, they will be presenting their respective tourism products and services that cater specifically for the Middle Eastern market.
The mission aims to enhance the commitment to establishing good tourism cooperation, engaging in future collaborations, and cooperation with the travel & tourism industry in the region. “We will continue to place a strong emphasis and focus on attracting Middle Eastern tourists to Malaysia, so naturally we will be stepping up our promotional efforts here,” said Dato’ Sri Nancy during the launch.
Dato’ Sri Nancy will also sign a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) between Tourism Malaysia and Emirates, which will take place on the Emirates stand. The MOC will benefit the Malaysian economy and strengthen economic ties throughout the tourism industry between Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.
