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Tourism Malaysia Hopes To Attract More Arabs With 'feel At Home' Program

Tourism Malaysia hopes its Feel At Home programme will attract West Asian tourists, especially during summer next year which overlaps with the fasting month.

Director International Promotion Division (South Asia/West Asia/Oceania/Africa) Tourism Malaysia, Azizan Noordin said the new programme introduced several conveniences and facilities to target West Asian tourists.

"During summer (between June and September), most West Asian people will travel because of the heat but next year, we are afraid that this travel pattern will change because of the fasting month.

"During the fasting month, Arab families usually stay at home during daytime and will stay up after breaking fast until early morning," he said during a press conference promoting Malaysia in the Gulf countries here today.

He said Tourism Malaysia would cooperate with the relevant government agencies to hold a variety of programmes, including bringing imams from Mecca to lead the tarawih prayers, to lure the Arabs into visiting Malaysia during the month of Ramadhan. Azizan said for the first time in Malaysia, a section of Kuala Lumpur city was dedicated to Middle East tourists, showcasing the various Arabic and Middle Eastern cultures with food, songs and dances.

"Bordered by the tourist belt areas of Starhill, Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail, the aptly-named Arab Street marks as a permanent landmark in Kuala Lumpur and as a favourite haunt for Middle Eastern visitors," he added.

Azizan said other facilities were also in place for the convenience of West Asian tourists such as Arabic-speaking staff to assist the non-English speaking tourist from Middle East and special immigration lanes for Arabs tourists with families.

"Actually, the facilities for the Arab tourists started as they touched down the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). KLIA has now made available, announcements in Arabic," he said.

He said Malaysia was also offering hotels and restaurants featuring halal food, hotel rooms with Arabic movies and cable TV and also entertainment outlets featuring Arabic entertainment.

Meanwhile last night, Tourism Malaysia held a 'Malaysia Truly Asia' gala dinner attended by Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Khalil Yaakob, Malaysia's Ambassador to Oman, Datuk Mohd Zamri Mohd Kassim and local travel agents.

Azizan led the two-day sales mission roadshow to Oman with the Malaysian delegation comprising representatives of 10 hotels and four travel and tour operators.