by NR INDRAN / INT

Malaysia : In the 10 years since its arrival in India, Tourism Malaysia has grown the country into one of the most popular leisure destinations for both first time travellers and experienced travellers. The numbers speak for themselves – from a modest 1,40,000 arrivals from in 2001 to a spectacular 6,93,056 in 2011 !

“This spectacular growth of over 400 % in a short time span has ensured that India is one of the top 3 source flight markets for tourists to Malaysia – and is very rapidly closing the gap with the leader China” said Dato Hj Azizan Noordin, Acting Director General, Tourism Malaysia. “More than mere arrivals the quality and the interest of the tourists have grown.  We are proud to host 26 % repeat travellers from India for pure leisure.  This is a larger slice than any other South East Asian Destination – and in 2012 we would like to focus our efforts to grow this burgeoning segment” continued Dato Hj Azizan addressing a gathering of the Media in Mumbai.

The Campaign for 2012 takes its cue from the deep seated interest of the average Indian in Bollywood and showcases newer and much, much more exotic destinations for this fast maturing market.   The campaign, entitled EVERY DREAM NEEDS A DESTINATION takes the viewer through a spectacular journey that traverses the most exotic locations to the most modern structures in Malaysia – showcasing the warmth and friendliness of the people of Malaysia on the way.

“Over the past two years we have been noticing a distinct shift in India – from the first time traveller who wanted to spend just a few nights in Malaysia, to the experienced traveller who is looking for unique and memorable experiences. We see this experienced and discerning traveller segment growing rapidly and it is our endeavour to showcase all the natural splendour and manmade wonders that we have to offer.   To us Indians are one of our most important visitors on account of the strong cultural connect and their propensity to seek the good life” said Dato Hj Azizan.

Beyond advertising in the Mass Media as part of its consumer connect program, Tourism Malaysia has initiated a B2B program where local suppliers from Malaysia meet and discuss business on a one to one basis with travel agents from the region. This road show unveils itself in Bangalore, followed by Ahmedabad, Mumbai, New Delhi and Karachi.

Tourist information suggests that Indians are now staying longer in Malaysia (from 6.5 in 2009 nights to over 6.7  nights in 2011 on an average) and a larger share are visiting Malaysia as a mono destination (as opposed to visiting other countries during the same trip).   This augurs well for Malaysia as the numbers from India are only set to increase in the years to come.

So, while most of us dream of that magical holiday that combines the finest that nature and man has to offer in the destination (and yes at an affordable price), we should consider Malaysia.

After all, every dream does need a Destination!

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