Malaysia, Truly Asia

AS the world celebrates World Tourism Day today, Malaysia highlights its beauty and authenticity. A diverse array of ethnic groups, cultures, festivals and events earned our tourism industry a whopping RM56.4bil last year.

“We are gearing towards RM168bil by 2020,” Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen told a press conference at the Malaysia Tourism Centre last week.

“We are expecting tourism to be the nation's main source of income. At present, it comes in fifth after oil and gas, palm oil, manufacturing, and retail.”

Among the tourism-oriented events that earned Dr Ng's favour was the The 1Malaysia International Tourism Night Flora Parade 2011 in July, a mesmerising display of glittery boats at the Putrajaya Lake. The international competition, titled “Magic of The Night”, attracted participants from 13 countries and organisations. The event served as a platform to showcase to the world Malaysia's diversity, richness in nature, culture and heritage.

Source - thestar.com.my