Commitment to promote Malaysia for tourist visits. Its spends RM$1.28mil. Is Penang in top three spot
Commitment to promote Malaysia for tourist visits
. Its spends RM$1.28mil. Is Penang in top three spotOur Tourism Ministry spent RM1.28mil during the first 10 months of this year to promote Malaysia in foreign countries. Unsure if is minister personal promotions or on broader scale. Compared to 2009 for similar visits RM$1.59 million was used. This is actual listed certified expenditures. As a commitment to ensure tourism is a constant destination for tourist. Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Malacca are clamoring to be the top destination among the 13 states here.
At the Parliament this is declared. If the expenditure is not certified then estimated are reported. The debate is whether this kind of expenditure is tracked for what and he spin off effect monitored to increase tourism traffic. This clarification is made to explain why there is a discrepancy in costs incurred said the minister in her statement at Parliament.
The funny thing is the emphasis of focus for this expenditure at Parliament. She is always queried by her members if this costs are well accounted and as said if she is the leader of the trips. As in Malaysia sometimes personal and pleasure trips like these are hard to differentiate. This kind of queries always arises to protect public funds. If not checked then budgets are not followed and results not monitored as we are very committed to be a real attraction for tourist over the last 40 years
She added that the ministry always presented the actual costs for each promotional visit except when the exact costs had yet to be validated. "Hence, when we replied to Parliament, the costs for a few trips had yet to be certified," she said, adding that several bills and invoices from foreign suppliers had yet to be received to reach the final costs incurred.
Via a letter to the members who keep the check and balance, had provided the updated costs for promotional trips to Singapore in 2009, which was RM16, 446.10. Whereas in 2009 the total cost to same place was RM7, 459.90," she added. So how much is the figure is a justified to be spent? How are the impact of this funds spent. Is the increase of visits in tandem to the expenditure? Sometimes other factors may influence the expected targets. How much is subsequently left behind by the tourist when they spent in the destinations they were at or packages they used.
On another visit to the Middle East and Thailand, she said the updated and certified actual costs were RM97, 000 and RM44, 800 respectively.
So which is the top three tourism state? The minister is always confronted when she mention that Penang has dropped their ranks. Even after efforts used to promote the country by the minister
"I don't know from where she got those figures... Penang jumped to third spot in 2008 from fourth, after it gained the Unesco World Heritage Site award," said a puzzled state councilor who is also, the Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage executive councilor for Penang.
He said that Penang was ahead of its "twin" heritage city Malacca in luring tourists, especially foreigners.
He said that in 2008, Penang recorded 6.3 million tourist arrivals.
As currently in Malaysia Penang is governed by DAP which is different from the Federal Government so this kind of news and claims keep surfacing as the Federal Government whom the minister represents would favor Malacca who is ruled by the same government as the federal which is named Barisan Nasional. The state councilor was refuting claims made by Ng that Malacca had overtaken Penang to become the third best tourist attraction in the country.
Mud sling conversation like below keep going on regularly in the media which is hard to validate similar to childish conversation but this is the level of our politics which is used to claim political mileage. There is no independent body to verify the figures nor is this audited but assure we get a lot of visitors to all the states and cities mentioned here. The minister claimed that Malacca had attracted 8.9 million tourists last year while Penang only attracted 5.97 million tourists. It could be the same tourist who went to both states.
Countering the minister claim, the state councilor said Penang ranked as "top three tourist hubs behind Pahang and Kuala Lumpur" in the country and in comparison, Malacca had slipped from fifth to sixth place behind Sabah and Kedah, according to last year's tourist arrival statistics.
The advantage Penang has an international airport in Bayan Lepas serviced by 12 international airlines, with 191 flights directly into the city weekly compared to Malacca. As Malacca is just about 90 minutes from the international airport.
The state councilor called on the federal government to focus on mobilizing all resources and work together with all states to promote Malaysia as one global tour package to the international market. I would agree with him as one Malaysia rather than like the minister segregating the states and seen to be competition among one another and subsequently spending more resources promoting states individually.
"Long-haul tourists, like the Americans, would come to Penang or Malacca wanting to know more on what Malaysia has to offer," he said.
Report card on state programs
meanwhile, the state Gerakan Youth leadership, who is part of the Barisan Nasional which lost the last Penang state to DAP in 2008 who is now sore, came out to defend the minister, lamented over the drop in tourist arrivals in Penang since Pakatan Rakyat took over the state reins in 2008.
On one hand Penang has declared a surplus budget after the DAP has managed the state and attracted much investment here below the ex state government expressed disappointment that tourist arrivals have dropped considerably despite Penang being declared a global heritage city.
He blamed it on the DAP-led state government's failure to promote the state as a heritage package. Further claiming that many tourists were unaware that they were visiting Penang, a Unesco world heritage site, due to the lack of information."This is due to lack of a cohesive and far-reaching promotion and marketing campaign.
"The new government lacked new ideas," he told a press conference at the Penang State Legislative Assembly today.
He pointed out that the Penang Bridge Run, Chingay, Dragon Boat Race and Penang were all inherited tourist programmes from the previous Barisan Nasional government.
The Youth leader claimed that the state government's "Visit Penang 2010-2012" campaign was full of hot air and empty talk. Both actions are criticized by the current state opposition.
"The campaign is insincere and directionless, based on festivals and celebrations. The state government talks like a hero but works like zero," said him.
Independently expressing due to the massive spending previously Penang is now enjoying the trade off. But whether it could be achieved with much less spending is the question. Currently another bridge is under way to cater for influx and better connectivity between the island and the peninsula. Penang is always a pleasant island in Malaysia for a cheap affordable holiday for whoever intends to come. The politics of the sate which mentioned is another perspective of how in the corridors of government the conversation go on with private agenda here for Malaysia tourist. Getting the Most out of Your All Inclusive Caribbean Holiday Information To Make Tourism In India Unforgettable Trip To Canada: Calgary Hotel The Art Of Decorating Christmas Cake Get a Different Experience of Life with Tour to India Shelves Of Superstore Stripped Of Goods Some Travel Precautions You Need To Care About Savvy Traveler: Calgary Hotel Deals Christmas Dresses 2010 – Make Celebrity Fashion All Your Own Taj Mahal Special Tour With Great Excitement India Tours A Best Way To Explore Incredible India. Medical Tourism Hubs The Best Travel Accommodation in Cannes