KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Tourism Minister NgYen Yen on Wednesday said that Malaysia needs support from China and ASEAN member countries to promote and develop its tourism industry.
"Tourism is a sunrise industry and it plays a major role in developing economics and friendship (among countries)," she said when attending the welcome dinner for the 4th Conference on the ASEAN-China People-To-People Friendship Organizations in Putra World Trade Center here.
She said that tourism could build bridges among the countries to strengthen their friendship.
The good relations among the members of ASEAN, which groups Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei, brought greater cooperation opportunities in economics, education, culture and tourism, she said.
Ng Yen Yen said that tourism was the second economic income pillar after the manufacturing sector in Malaysia.
She said that the number of tourist arrival to Malaysia during the period from January to May this year was 9.2 million, an increase of 2.6 percent compared with 9 million in the same periodof last year.
"ASEAN receive most tourists from China, but the number of tourists has dropped due to the global economic crisis and A/H1N1 flu," she said.
However, she said that her ministry has introduced new tourism packages to attract more foreign tourists, including the "homestay" program that allows tourists to experience traditional village lifestyle in Malaysia.
"Tourists can taste local fruits and learn traditional dance," she explained.
She also said that currently Malaysia is having a mega sale carnival and she urges people to shop more in Malaysia.
Editor: Yan
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