ITB Berlin News 2019 - Day 1 Edition

20 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
THE NUMBER OF
EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IN
MALAYSIA’S TOURISM SECTOR
HAS RISEN TO 3.4 MILLION IN
2017 FROM 1.5 MILLION IN
2005.
Mohammadin
Bin Haji Ketapi
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia
Malaysia – Official ITB Berlin
Interview: Mohammadin Bin Haji Ketapi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
In 2018, Malaysia received a total of 25.8 million international
tourists. We asked Mohammadin Bin Haji Ketapi, Minister of
Tourism, Arts and Culture for Malaysia, what the target is for
the coming years.
With the Visit Malaysia 2020
campaign in the works, we look
forward to seeing our arrival figures
grow to 30-million and tourist
receipts reach RM100bn (eds:
€21.66bn) by the year 2020.
The tourism Industry continued
its significant contribution to
Malaysia’s economy with a share of
14.9% in 2017 as compared to 10.4%
in 2005.
In 2017, the direct contribution
of tourism to GDP recorded 6.1%
with a value of RM82.6bn (eds:
€17.89bn), growing from RM76.6bn
(eds: €16.59bn) in 2016.
The number of employees involved
in Malaysia’s tourism sector has
risen to 3.4 million in 2017 from
1.5 million in 2005. Employment
in the tourism industry contributed
23.2% to total employment in 2017
(2005:15%). Most of the jobs in
tourism industry were in the retail
trade industry (33.7%) and food &
beverage serving services (32.3%)
respectively.
Tourism is also important to
Malaysia as it helps to empower
the local community economically.
Taking the Malaysia Homestay
Programme as an example, it offers
the local village-folk to take part
in offering authentic homestay
experiences to tourists. In 2017,
the revenue generated from the
programme reached RM27.6 million
(eds: €5.98m).
Statistics show that in 2018, a
total of 372,475 tourists (local
and foreign) participated in the
homestay programme across the
nation. Within this period, a total
number of 218 villages with 4,070
homes took part in the programme.
These villages are spread
throughout the nation, including
popular tourist destinations such as
Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Melaka,
Johor, Penang, Langkawi.
What do you hope to achieve
through being official partner
country of ITB Berlin 2019?
Malaysia being partner country of
ITB Berlin 2019 means a big focus
on the country and a big visibility
worldwide, especially now that we
are promoting Visit Malaysia 2020.
But our focus will be to push not
only the partner country 2019 of ITB
but to make sure, that throughout
the year 2019, Malaysia is seen
and recognised as the wonderful
destination it is.
I believe Malaysia’s cultural
uniqueness is a big draw for the
European market. As you may know,
Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures
with influences from Malay, Chinese
and Indian ethnicities, as well as
from Europe, Arab and the Malay
Archipelago. This has resulted in
a mixed yet harmonious legacy
that manifests itself in Malaysia’s
architecture, clothing, language,
cuisine and other aspects. As such,
the highlight of our presence at ITB
this year will be the cultural aspects
that we bring to the show.
Visitors to the trade show will
have the opportunity to experience
Malaysia’s architecture, local food
and cultural performances. We
will be bringing in the national
cultural troupe to showcase about
an hour-long performance during
the Opening Gala that reflects the
beauty and diversity of Malaysian
culture and heritage. Visitors to the
Malaysia Pavilion can also get to
know the Ring Ladies of Sarawak,
so named because of their beauty
ritual of wearing copper coiled
rings on the forearms and calves
respectively. This symbol of beauty
is fast disappearing and ITB visitors
will be lucky to catch the last
remaining Ring Ladies of Sarawak
this year.
Malaysia will also bring a special
exhibition of Sarawak scarves
called “keringkam.” These are handembroidered
scarves made using
gold thread and is an important part
of Sarawak heirloom legacy. Visitors
will get to see these treasured
headgear and other ornaments that
have rarely been exhibited.
The Malaysia Pavilion at Hall
26A, Stand 117, will also display
architectural forms adapted from
ancient Malay architecture. Besides
being the venue for networking and
meetings, it will also hold regular
cultural performances throughout
the exhibition. Delicious Malaysian
cuisine, renowned for its generous
use of medicinal spices and herbs,
will also be made available for the
public to sample.
What is the overall policy of the
new administration concerning
tourism? What are your Ministry’s
key aims in the coming months
and years?
The Tourism Malaysia Integrated
Promotional Plan 2018 – 2020
was formulated and implemented
to tackle existing challenges
and improve Malaysia’s tourism
performance, with the following
strategies in mind:
• Optimising the usage of
latest information technology
for promotion, publicity and
advertising;
• Leveraging upcoming major
events in Malaysia, especially
business events, 5th World Tourism
Conference from 26 to 28 August
2019 in KL, and the Malaysia-China
Cooperation Year in 2019-2020, 8th
World Summit on Arts and Culture,
KL (11-14 March 2019); CHOGM,
APEC meeting, etc.;
• Synergising efforts with the
development of mega-projects
such as Impression City Melaka and
ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 6 th March 2019
www.itb-berlin-news.com