'Malaysia would like to share with the world what she has achieved'

Lynn Ockersz

Malaysia is in the process of opening up to the world and what she has achieved over the past 50 years as an independent nation she would like to share with the peoples of the world, says Malaysia's Minister of Tourism, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan B Tengku Mansor, in this exclusive interview with the Daily News.

The Minister who was here recently to promote Malaysia as an attractive tourist destination among Sri Lankans, speaks, among other things, on the complementarities that exist between Malaysia and Sri Lanka in the tourism field and reveals how people-to-people contact promotes foreign investment between countries.

Q: Mr. Minister, what has brought you to Sri Lanka?

A: Firstly, 'Tourism Malaysia', and the Ministry of Tourism of Malaysia feel that Sri Lanka is an important market as regards tourism.

At the moment we are getting only about 13,000 tourists arrivals from Lanka per year. What we would like to do here is create awareness among the Sri Lankan people, that there is Malaysia where they could enjoy a holiday. And Malaysia is not only about eco-tourism, marine tourism, pristine beaches or beautiful islands. Malaysia has got a lot to offer. Because Malaysia is a shopping paradise.

Malaysia is positioning itself as a family tourism destination, where we have a lot of theme parks for children, shopping complexes for the ladies, Golf courses for the men or other things the men would like to do. So, I have basically come to Sri Lanka to reaffirm Malaysia's desire for more of our friends from Sri Lanka to make Malaysia their vacation destination. Two of my predecessors have come here; but that was a some time ago.

Q: Is investment promotion between our countries also one of your aims?

A: In true tourism, people visit one another. We hope more Malaysians would come to Sri Lanka. And when we visit a place we hope to do some trading. After some trading we do some investment.

That is what tourism is all about. They would understand the place more, the people more, grow more at ease and so investment can happen.

Q: So, at the moment you don't think awareness of Lanka's tourism potential is sufficient?

A: On the part of 'Tourism Malaysia', the awareness is not that sufficient. That is the reason why I am here. I hope on your part too you would create some awareness through your print media. You should also inform Sri Lanka on what Malaysia has to offer and what Malaysia would like to do in Sri Lanka as well.

Q: Are you doing a region-wide tour or is your visit confined only to Sri Lanka?

A: I took office about a year ago and since then I have been undertaking a lot of sales promotional missions. I will be also covering a certain part of India.

Q: As an ASEAN country do you hope to expand your links with South Asia?

A: All the ASEAN countries are expanding their links with South Asia. Because we believe South Asia has a big market. People are becoming more affluent here and feel the need to go on more vacations and we have a lot of good things to offer particularly Malaysia. We are a beautiful country with a lot of things to offer, many things are available.

This year Malaysia celebrates 50 years as an independent nation. What Malaysia today is basically because of its people and what we have achieved we would like to share.

Malaysia welcomes the world to enable it to have a look at her. We are a small country with a multicultural identity and immense diversity but yet we are in unity and this happened because of our tolerance and attitude of compromise which we inherited from our forefathers.

We are in the process of opening up to the whole world and Sri Lanka is an important market for us.

Q: Are you operating on the basis of a tourism master plan?

A: In Malaysia we have a tourism master plan. Last year we did 17.5 million tourism arrivals. This year we hope to do 20.1 million. By 2010 we are hoping to achieve 24 million arrivals and receipts amounting to $55 billion. At the moment tourism is the second biggest foreign exchange earner for the country.

Q: Is it correct that Malaysia is currently the biggest foreign investor in Sri Lanka?

A: I believe we are the biggest investor in your country. According to the High Commissioner it is around US$ 90 million. We hope to work with Sri Lanka because you have long haul tourist arrivals and when they visit Sri Lanka they would visit Malaysia as well.

So, one destination two countries. Because long haul tourists while on vacation tend to spend longer time. And what we have Sri Lanka does not have and what Sri Lanka has we do not have. So, we could share.

We would be talking to your trading community people, travel tour agents etc., on joint promotions and how we could work a scheme whereby it would be beneficial to both countries.