Melaka register 11.4 percent increase in tourist arrivals

KUALA TERENGGANU, Melaka has registered a 11.4 percent or 596,752 increase in tourists until November this year compared with the same period last year said Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

"This year we estimate 6.8 million tourists to visit Melaka and stay for an average period of 2.5 nights," said Ali after opening the "Jom Ke Melaka" (Lets Go to Melaka) promotion campaign in Terengganu on Saturday.

Ali said from 1999 to 2007, a total of 32.9 million tourists visited Melaka and during the period, a 20 percent increase was registered every year and these tourists spent an average of 1.78 nights during their stay.

During the nine-year period, 72.2 percent of those who visited Melaka were domestic tourists while the remaining 27.8 percent were foreigners with Singaporeans heading the list with 19.3 percent, followed by China (17 percent), Indonesia (9.4 percent), Hong Kong (4.4 percent) and Saudi Arabia (4.3 percent).

Ali added that the objective of the "Jom Ke Melaka" campaign was to promote Melaka as a leading tourist destination in Asia, especially after being recognised by Unesco as a world heritage city on July 7.

News extracted from : Bernama (20.12.2008)