The sacred Batu Caves, situated nine miles north of Kuala Lumpur, are 400 metres long and 100 metres high

Tourism target is RM49 billion in annual revenues
Malaysia is stepping up its efforts to promote itself as a world-class tourism destination and to attract 25 million visitors by 2010

Malaysia posted record tourist arrivals in 2007, its Golden Anniversary year, with more than 15.6 million people visiting between January and September – an increase of 21.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2006. Dato’ Tengku Adnan Mansor, the Minister of Tourism, hopes that when the final figures for the year are in the total will be around 21.6 million. His target for 2010 is 25 million.

Tourism is Malaysia’s second single largest hard currency earner. “Our objective is to achieve RM49 billion (£7.3 billion) in revenues,” says Tengku Adnan, who recently extended the Visit Malaysia campaign to August this year in line with the year-long celebration of the country’s 50th year of independence.

With so much at stake, Tourism Malaysia, the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, is spending big to attract more visitors in the face of strong regional competition.

Visitors arrive from all over the world, and Malaysia has long been popular with British tourists; 250,000 visited in 2006, making Britain Malaysia’s largest source market in Europe.

Numbers are rising from other Asian states, such as India. Indeed, visitors from Asia now make up the bulk of arrivals in the country, in large part because of the shorter journey times. Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong for instance takes just three and a half hours.

Dato’ Donald Lim Siang Chai, Deputy Minister of Tourism, says that differentiation from other rivals like Thailand is critical for Malaysia to stay ahead of the pack. “Like Indonesia and Thailand we have island resorts – Penang Island, Langkawi Island, Kapas Island, Tioman Island. Our strong point here is our political stability and the multilingual nature of our country.” People in Malaysia speak not only Bahasa Malay, but also English and Mandarin.

A country of stunning natural beauty, with a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, Malaysia does offer a unique mix of sights, sounds, colours and tastes. Attractions range from pristine beaches and tropical islands to tropical rainforest and natural parks. Premier island resorts offer five-star luxury to match anywhere else, and at reasonable prices.

Tengku Adnan Mansor Minister of Tourism	Dato´Donald Lim Siang Chai Deputy Minister of Tourism	Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Director General of Tourism Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is the focal point for many arrivals, a thriving, cosmopolitan hub with a skyline dominated by the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin buildings. However, there are hidden jewels dotted throughout the various states, both on Peninsular Malaysia itself and in Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Contrasts are to be seen everywhere, with towering skyscrapers looking down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels just metres away from ancient reefs.

Malaysia is renowned for eco-tourism. Says Dato’ Lim: “Malaysian eco-tourism is the finest in Asia, offering 1.3 billion-year-old rainforests, and an array of destinations that have been developed and well maintained through the years. A recent poll in Hong Kong voted Malaysia the region’s best eco-tourism destination.

Latest attraction: a RM30 million ferris wheel recently erected in Kuala Lumpur

Although most visitors will tend to stay on the mainland during a visit to Malaysia, the lure of a visit to the wild and untamed forests of Borneo will always hold wide appeal to the more adventurous British tourist.

Malaysia has successfully promoted itself as a premier destination for golfers, boasting more than 210 different courses around the country; the International Association of Golf Tour Operators has designated it the 2008 Asia and Australasia Golf Destination of the Year.

Health and medical tourism is also taking off, and shopping is also becoming an attraction with the opening of new malls in the capital. Conference and exhibition tourism is another successful niche area, with Malaysia boasting a first-class infrastructure in terms of transport, hotels and venues, and air links with the wider world.

A recent initiative is “Malaysia My Second Home”, a bid to attract foreign citizens who might wish to retire or reside in Malaysia with the prospect of a luxury lifestyle at a fraction of the cost at home. Those tempted are offered a 10-year renewable visa and eventual lifetime easy access to the country. Business from the UK is reported to be brisk.

Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, says that the Visit Malaysia campaign carries all of these messages. “To know Malaysia is to love it,” he says. “It is a bustling melting pot of races and religions where Malays, Indians and Chinese and many other ethnic groups live in harmony.”

From cultural and religious festivals, to sun-drenched beaches, state-of-the-art shopping malls, and even lush rainforests, Malaysia has pretty much everything. “The time is now,” says Mr. Taiyab. “The place is Malaysia.