Sunday July 15, 2012
RAUB: Malaysia’s tourism industry can only be successful if industry players and government agencies understand the needs of visitors.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said tourists were mainly interested in visiting places which offered good services or interesting products.
“Foreign visitors usually come here with their families to enjoy a holiday together or they come to participate in green and eco-tourism programmes.
“Shopping only makes up a fraction of the tourism activities of our foreign visitors.
“They visit our country because of the local culture and our food.
“I call on everyone in the tourism industry to study what foreign tourists like most when they are here,” she said after witnessing the upgrade of the Raub town bus station here.
Dr Ng, who is also Raub MP, said the number of visitors to the town had increased due to the promotion of tourism products there.
These include the Jeram Besu recreational park, homestay programmes and durian orchards.
She added that cycling activities for tourists to Felda settlements here also helped boost sales of bicycle parts and equipment by local traders.
Dr Ng also called on taxi drivers to provide the best service for visitors.
She said that as tourism ambassadors, taxi drivers should maintain the highest standards because they were usually the first people to meet the tourists.
Article extracted from The Star Online (Sunday July 15, 2012)