Tourism, arts and culture minister Nancy Shukri said Malaysia is expected to see an increase in tourists from China, Japan, Brunei, and Indonesia in the coming months.

She said the ministry had been promoting the country as an ecotourism and wedding destination. It also highlighted the country’s batik, songket and other woven products at major cities in Arab countries.

According to data from the immigration department, over 500,000 foreign tourist arrivals had been recorded since the start of this year.

Malaysia attracted only 4.3 million tourists in 2020 because of lockdown restrictions following the Covid-19 pandemic, a sharp decline from the 26.1 million in 2019.

She also said the ministry would be boosting the use of motor homes which would allow tourists to travel on their own and experience the country’s scenery.

“We want to introduce motor homes or caravans, so visitors will be able to enjoy other parts of Malaysia besides the typical spots like Genting Highlands or Langkawi.”

As of now, Nancy said, a pilot project for motor homes had been initiated in Johor.

She added that the tourism ministry would be working together with the transport ministry to help facilitate the use of motor homes by providing parking areas where travellers can charge their vehicles while enjoying the natural scenery.