PUTRAJAYA, 17 June 2015: The Minister of Tourism & Culture YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has appointed Wee Choo Keong as the Chairman of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, better known as Tourism Malaysia, effective today. Wee is a Barrister-at-Law from the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London, and has been a practising advocate and solicitor of more than 32 years.

Upon being called to the Bar at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, he returned to Malaysia in 1980 where he was actively involved in serving the community through his legal consultation. The political and social development in Malaysia were also issues that were close to his heart, and this saw him serve two terms as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Bintang, the heart of commerce and tourism in Kuala Lumpur, and another term as MP for Wangsa Maju.

Wee views the Chairmanship at Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board as an extension of his contribution to the betterment of Malaysia. Wee says, “As Chairman of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia), I want to do the best for our country and will protect our national interests at all costs. I am also grateful to YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Tourism and Culture, for the appointment and trust he has in me.”

He says, “I look forward to working closely with the management and officers of Tourism Malaysia, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the tourism trade industry and the media and to further develop Malaysia’s tourism potential.”

Asked about his perspectives on tourism in Malaysia, he says, “Malaysia is blessed with many natural tourism assets and a peaceful, multi-cultural society. However, the promotion work lies not only with Tourism Malaysia and its advertisements. The true value of tourism promotion is in the people of Malaysia themselves – their warm hospitality, politeness and values. These are the values that will bring tourists to our shores and back again.”

Wee recalls the gracious hospitality and true community spirit in Kelantan where he spent his childhood years. He says, “I grew up in Kelantan among various cultures and races. We enjoyed this diversity and unity at the same time…Our differences became a unique attraction and we were respectful of one another. I hope that we can extend this welcoming spirit to tourists to our country. Every Malaysian needs to internalize the spirit of tourism in themselves.”

He continues, “My own travels to North and South America, Europe and Asia have given me a close look at how important tourism is as an industry, especially to a developing nation like Malaysia. The moment tourists step foot in Malaysia, they will be spending their tourist dollars for transportation, accommodation, even for a bottle of mineral water. The money they spend is income for our nation. It’s even more valuable when the tourist dollar goes straight to the locals and their community. So we must treat our tourists well – they are our customers!”

Tourism Malaysia warmly welcomes Mr. Wee Choo Keong as Chairman of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board from 17 June 2015.

ENDS

For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia’s tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia’s website at http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/

MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD OR TOURISM MALAYSIA is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia at all levels. Since its inception, Tourism Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds and it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2014, Malaysia registered 27.4 million tourist arrivals and RM72 billion in receipts, making tourism its second largest foreign exchange earner.

Malaysia celebrated its fourth VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR (VMY) in 2014 with the theme “Celebrating 1Malaysia Truly Asia”. The promotion of the country continues with the MALAYSIA YEAR OF FESTIVALS (MyFEST) campaign in 2015 with the theme “Endless Celebrations” emphasising the various festivals celebrated by its multicultural society. Both campaigns are key drivers towards achieving the country’s target of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020, as outlined in the Tourism NKEA (National Key Economic Area).

Through the Tourism NKEA, collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, other Government agencies and the private sector have been enhanced to help secure Malaysia’s position as a leading tourist destination. The targets set under the Tourism NKEA will be achieved through the implementation of twelve Entry Point Projects (EPPs) clustered under five themes: Affordable Luxury; Nature Adventure; Family Fun; Events, Entertainment, Spa and Sports; and Business Tourism.

Press contact:
Corporate Communications & Media Relations Unit:
Azizah Aziz (Ms), Senior Deputy Director, Communications & Publicity Division
Tel: +603-8891 8752
Email: azizahaziz@tourism.gov.my

Editorial Unit:
Anis Rozalina Ramli (Ms), Senior Editor, Communications & Publicity Division
Tel: +603-8891 8759
Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my