A high profile Malaysian travel trade delegation is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 2 to 5 May 2006, to participate in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), a leading tourism trade exhibition in the Middle East. YB Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Minister of Tourism, and YBhg. Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf, Director General, Tourism Malaysia, is leading the delegation at the ATM 2006, underlining the importance Malaysia is attaching to the region as a potential source of tourists. It is Malaysia's 13th year of participation in the event.

Apart from generating interest in Malaysia as a wonderful travel destination for all types of visitors, the delegation is here to launch the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign in the region.

The tourism industry in Malaysia has been registering impressive growth over the last few years. The total number of tourist arrivals reached 16.4 million in 2005 with receipts estimated at a whopping USD 8.72 billion. The number of visitors from the Gulf region has risen phenomenally over the last few years, which explains Tourism Malaysia's enthusiasm to woo more visitors from here.

As far as this region is concerned, Malaysia registered 147,646 visitors from here during 2005, which is a 17.1 per cent increase compared to the same period the previous year. Tourist arrivals from UAE were recorded at 29,606, an increase of almost 40% from 2004.

The Malaysian delegation to ATM this year consists of some 122 participants from 81 organisations including the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysian hoteliers, tour operators, state tourism agencies, tourism product operators and representatives from the tourism industry.

Issued by Communications Division, Tourism Malaysia
Date: 2 May 2006
For more information, call (6) (03) 2615 8188 or email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my