KOTA BHARU, Dec 25 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia plans to expand the Midnight Sale programme to more supermarkets across the east coast states, aiming to make it an annual tourism event, in conjunction with the Malaysia Year End Sale (MYES) campaign.
Tourism Malaysia's Eastern Region director Mohd Azizul Arif Yahaya said a total of seven programmes were held nationwide, with two taking place in Kelantan and Terengganu.
He explained that one of the main objectives is to encourage international tourists, especially from neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei, to not only shop, but also spend the night in Malaysia.
“This initiative is aimed at tourists from Singapore and Thailand, as Tourism Malaysia hopes they will extend their stay in the country, including overnight stays in hotels around Johor Bahru and Kota Bharu.
“The sales event, which takes place from 10 pm to 12 midnight for one day at participating supermarkets, provides an additional incentive for those travelling from afar to stay longer, especially in Johor and Kelantan, thereby boosting the local economy," he told reporters at the programme launch, here, yesterday.
He mentioned that, in addition to nature, adventure, eco-tourism, sports, and other sectors, shopping plays a key role in the Malaysian tourism industry
“According to Tourism Malaysia data, from January to September 2024, total tourist expenditure reached RM26.98 billion, marking a significant increase of 63 per cent, compared with RM16.56 billion recorded for the same period in 2023.
“This segment has become the main contributor to the country's overall tourism revenue, representing 36.8 per cent of the total RM73.2 billion in tourism revenue, recorded for this period," he added.
He expressed confidence that this figure will continue to rise in the coming year, further bolstering the development of the segment, especially after Tourism Malaysia reorganises the Malaysia Mega Sale 2024 campaign.
-- BERNAMA
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