FE Report

Malaysia is hoping to welcome 30,000 Bangladeshi tourists to one of the preferred holiday destinations in the world this year.

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, popularly known as Tourism Malaysia, disclosed it at the launch of its maiden marketing initiative in Bangladesh at a press conference in a city hotel Monday.

The number of projected tourists is much lower than that of last year and the delegation from Malaysia now visiting Bangladesh has admitted their target has been lowered because of the ongoing global financial crisis.

Last year a total of 49,000 tourists from Bangladesh traveled Malaysia either for leisure or business trip.

The delegation led by Zulkefli Sharif, director of South Asia, West Asia and Africa Division of Tourism Malaysia, comprises of 12 tour operators and one hotelier and two other tourism-related organisations as well as officials from Tourism Malaysia, the national agency to promote the major economic power house of Asia as a preferred tourist gateway.

During the sales mission, among the programmes scheduled are meeting with tour operators, travel mart sessions, media conferences and appointments with key tourism industry players.

Sharif told at the press conference that Tourism Malaysia's target arrival from Bangladesh in 2009 is 30,000 whereas globally it aims to achieve target arrivals of 20 million by the end of the current year and ultimately 25.7 million by 2010.

He said, "Malaysia today has emerged as an international holiday destination of choices offering 'Something for everybody to indulge and enjoy'. Its urban-cosmopolitan feel offers travelers a first world ambience through shopping, entertainment, theme park, cuisine and culinary options at competitive price propositions."