The hospitality sector, one of the region’s largest, is continuing to see visitor numbers grow this year, boosted by better transport connectivity with large emerging markets. This development is increasingly being linked with Malaysia’s overarching strategy of raising revenues and value in key economic sectors, a theme that is set to dominate the next few years.
According to Ng Yen Yen, the minister of tourism, Malaysia registered 11.63m arrivals in the first half of 2012, up 2.4% over the same period in 2011. Receipts grew more rapidly, increasing 4% over the same period to RM26.8bn ($8.81bn). Ng attributed the continuing rise in visitor numbers in part to improved connectivity (particularly with China) and events such as the F1 Malaysian Grand Prix and the Citrawarna cultural festival.
Other members of ASEAN accounted for around 73.8% of arrivals. Singapore, which has close cultural, economic and social ties to its northern neighbour, remained by far the biggest source of visitors, with 5.83m arrivals in the first half of this year. This number is likely to have been somewhat boosted by shuttle traders, who pass over the border on a regular basis, and day-trippers.
The other largest contributing countries were: Indonesia, with 1.11m arrivals; China (758,000); Thailand (639,000); Brunei Darussalam (588,000); India (365,000); Australia (243,000); the Philippines (238,000); Japan (216,000); and the UK (197,000). Arrivals from China were up 34.2% on the first half of 2011, India (6.9%) and Russia (28.2%). There was also impressive growth from established markets, including France (20.6%); the US (18.9%); South Korea (18%); Japan (32.5%); and the UK (5.9%).
Analysis of the figures by Tourism Malaysia, the official promotion and development agency under the Ministry of Tourism, indicates the importance of enhancing air connectivity in stimulating this growth. The organisation partly attributes the rise in arrivals from China to an increasing number of flights between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong and Penang and Kota Kinabalu, two major regional tourism centres.
Similarly, the increase in Japanese and Korean visitors is partly due to more flights between provincial cities in those countries and Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. By the same token, Tourism Malaysia attributes declining visitor numbers from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to fewer flights being operated. Meanwhile, Vijay K Gokhale, India’s high commissioner to Malaysia, said that if AirAsia restored flights to Delhi and Mumbai, which were suspended in March, Indian visitors to the South-east Asian market could rise to 1m annually by 2015 from around 693,000 in 2011.
With the importance of connectivity and tapping expanding markets in mind, the tourism authorities are continuing to work with Malaysian Airlines and AirAsia, the country’s two main carriers, to develop links internationally, and will continue to seek bilateral agreements with countries such as Russia to increase visitor traffic.
However, increasing visitor volumes is not the only priority. Indeed, over the coming years, this strategy seems likely to become less important than efforts to boost value and diversification. Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), the government’s overarching strategy to push Malaysia towards developed-country status by 2020, notes that the country is a “high arrivals, low yield” tourism market.
The aim is to keep visitor numbers rising while building considerably greater value in the sector to increase earnings per tourist arrival. Tourism has been identified as a National Key Economic Area (NKEA) under the ETP, with the goal of attracting 36m visitors and generating RM168bn ($55.26bn) in tourism receipts by 2020.
In practical terms, this means focusing on high-value niche segments. The ETP has identified five such segments: luxury; nature adventure; family; events, entertainment, spa and sports; and business tourism. To develop these niche areas, a number of existing segments will need to be promoted, such as ecotourism and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE). Malaysia will also need to be rebranded to well-heeled visitors as a “luxury” destination, leveraging the increasing number of top-end hotels, resorts and shopping malls.
Malaysia is in the fortunate position that it already has existing business in these high-value areas, as well as a strong international brand as a destination. But to meet the ETP’s targets, considerable investment will be needed, particularly from the private sector, in keeping with the plan’s priorities.
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