Nearly 100,000 Malaysians took advantage of the long weekend in conjunction with Malaysia Day earlier this month to vacation in southern Thailand, contributing more than RM130 million to the Thai economy, according to Bernama.
While stakeholders in the local tourism sector have expressed concern over the reported numbers, Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) CEO Isaac Raj said there was no cause for panic as tourism cannot be viewed as a zero-sum game.
Isaac said the ability of Malaysians to contribute to regional economies is a positive sign of economic mobility. He said overseas travel has become even more appealing due to the strengthening of the ringgit.
“Malaysians are seeking attractions and experiences in foreign countries like Thailand that we do not have here in Malaysia.
“These missing elements aren’t a reflection of shortcomings on our part. It’s natural for locals to seek a variety of tourism offerings and experiences that they cannot find in the country,” Isaac told FMT.
He said recent data from the statistics department showed Malaysia recorded 68.4 million local tourists in the second quarter of this year – a 23.8% year-on-year increase and a 16.8% increase from the previous quarter’s figure of 58.6 million.
The department also said domestic tourism expenditure rose to RM28.1 billion from April to June. This was a 28.6% growth year-on-year and 16.9% increase from the previous quarter, which recorded RM24.6 billion in domestic tourist spending.
Isaac said MAH recently organised two successful tourism-focused travel fairs, with a third currently being planned. This, he said, was proof of continued interest among Malaysians for domestic tourism offerings.
“Our domestic tourism remains strong,” he said.
Isaac said one way to boost domestic tourism would be to launch targeted campaigns or events that promote local tourism and incentivise Malaysians to explore their own country.
New experiences needed
Malaysian Tourist Guides Council president Jimmy Leong, however, was not as keen about the RM130 million outflow to Thailand.
He said tourism stakeholders need to take a closer look at the effectiveness of domestic tourism promotions and the type of experiences Malaysian tourists are looking for.
He suggested that existing popular tourist destinations be revamped or rebranded to attract more visitors, noting how the strategy has paid off for Zoo Johor, which has seen an increase in visitors after it reopened on Aug 31 with its facilities upgraded.
“The industry needs more new, interesting and creative tourism products. Malaysians can’t be visiting the same tourist attractions over and over again,” said Leong.
“The government needs to provide incentives for investors to develop more tourist attractions. The bottom line is that visitors are seeking new experiences.”