He said as a marketing man, he believed in the importance of market research, adding that it was best to consult customers, who were the most important stakeholders, when faced with any marketing issues.

“Market research can help mitigate personal bias and opinions and bring the customers’ point of view into business decisions.

“We should consider market research, especially when embarking on a new campaign like Visit Malaysia 2020,” he said in a statement.

The logo, which was unveiled last Friday, was met with scorn by social media users who called it a joke, labelling it “awful and humiliating”.

Many said such work should be done by a reputable agency, even if it cost a large sum of money.

However, Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz said the logo had received positive feedback from tourists during its launch in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

He added that it was meant for foreign tourists, not for domestic use, and would not be changed.

“I have launched it. Nazri Aziz never backtracks. This is what will be used for the world, only one logo, no other logo,” he told FMT.

He also denied claims that the ministry had paid an external graphic designer hundreds of thousands of ringgit to come up with the logo, saying everything had been done internally.

Anas, who is also a unity advocate and founder of training provider Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd, said it made perfect sense to invest a few million ringgit into market research as tourism was a multi-million ringgit business.

“Not just for the logo, but to discover what makes our customer tick – what, when, why, how and who they buy from.

“We all want the campaign to be a success. Not just for the financial benefits but for the pride of sharing our beautiful country with the world.”