Indonesia Third Biggest Contributor

To Malaysian Tourism

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 (Bernama) -- Indonesia was the third biggest contributor to the Malaysian tourism pie after Singapore and Thailand, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Sunday night.

He said almost one million Indonesians visited Malaysia last year.

"This was a 21.9 per cent increase from the 789,925 tourists from Indonesia in 2004," he said at a dinner for the superbike participants of the Tour De Peninsula.

Eighty superbikers from Indonesia and 40 riders from the Superbikers Association of Malaysia (SAM) are participating in the tour from April 7 to 18 which will also

cover parts of southern Thailand. Deputy Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the patron of SAM.

Tengku Adnan said Malaysia was a preferred choice for Indonesians as a destination for shopping, conventions and healthcare.

A large number of Indonesians also came to Malaysia to visit friends and relatives, he added.

Overall, the tourism industry in Malaysia hosted 16.4 million tourists last year, a 4.6 per cent increase over the number in 2004.

Sources: http://www.bernama.com
Copied at 11 April 2006