TOURISTS ARRIVAL RISES

MALACCA: The total number of tourists visiting Malacca rose to 5.38 million in the first four months of this year as compared to 4.77 million for the same period last year, said State Tourism, River, Beaches and Islands Development Committee deputy chairman Datuk Ghazale Muhamad.

He said the increase of 12.7% was very a big push for Malacca which was targeting 16.75 million tourists this year with domestic tourists being the largest contributor with 3.69 million as compared to 1.69 million foreign tourists in the first four months of this year. 

"On May 19, Malacca was listed in fifth spot in 'The World's Trendiest Holiday Destinations' in a report of The British Post which opens a new dimension for tourists to continue choosing Malacca as the best holiday destination in the world," he told reporters here today.

Earlier, he had officiated an Empowering Seminar and Hari Raya Contribution Presentation for 309 trishaw riders registered with Malacca Historic City Council as a trishaw ride is among the main tourist attractions in the state.

Also present were Tourism Promotion Division general manager Norena Jaafar and Tourism and Culture Ministry director for Malacca, Jeffri Munir.

Ghazale said the five main sources of foreign tourists were China with 30.45%, Singapore (20.78%), Indonesia (12.99%), Taiwan (3.86%), and Japan (2.96%). 

He said Selangor contributed the largest number of domestic tourists with 518,265 or 15.34%.

Therefore, he said all parties involved in the Malacca tourism industry need to promote cooperation to boost the development of the industry and attract more tourists to the state.

Meanwhile, Ghazale said last year, the state government received 12 complaints involving the misconduct of trishaw riders. 

"From the total, seven involved trishaw riders going against the traffic flow and four for unreasonable charges and the remaining number involved verbal sexual harassment.

"In this regard, they were called and given warning not to repeat the offences as they are the industry's frontliners and it is the responsibility of all to protect the image and to raise the prestige of the state tourism industry," he said. — Bernama