KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded a 14.3% rise in tourist arrivals last month, for a year-to-date growth of 7.2% year-on-year, bucking the global trend amid the A(H1N1) flu pandemic, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

Citing World Trade Organisation data, she said in comparison, international tourist movements had declined by 7% over the January-August 2009 period.

Malaysia’s figures reflected a healthy growth in tourist arrivals, given the flu pandemic which particularly affected the tourism industry in May and June, Ng said at the launch of the Malaysia Year End Sale here yesterday.

However, despite the upward trend in tourist arrivals, receipts only increased by 0.3% during the January-October period.

Tourist expenditure on shopping had increased over the past eight years. Of the total tourist expenditure in Malaysia last year, 27% went to shopping, a 23% rise from 2000 when the Malaysian Mega Sale Carnival was first launched.

Ng said the Malaysian retail industry had been growing steadily in recent years, reaching RM70.4 billion last year, a 5% increase from RM67.1 billion in 2007. She said the industry was expected to grow by 3% to RM72 billion this year.


This article appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, November 18, 2009.