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Malaysia Lunar New Year Decorations
People are taking pictures near dragon lantern decorations at the Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen Temple ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Dragon in Jenjarom outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on January 26, 2024. (Photo by Mohd Firdaus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Racist Umno sabotaging Malaysia’s tourism industry?
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26, 2024: While neighbour Thailand is aggressively going all-out to pinch tourists from China, Malaysia is consciously or unconsciously sabotaging its tourism industry.
Despite having Chinese tourists spending RM9.05 billion in Malaysia between Janurary and June (first six months of 2024), the so-called Madani Unity Government (read as the racist Umno) is calling for the sacking of Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing - all because of Chinese characters on signboards.
How silly and stupid can anyone be …it’s akin to cutting off one's nose to spite one’s face.
Sooner or later, the antics and national unity-shattering of racial and religious bigots will significantly affect tourist arrivals, resulting in dwindling number of tourists and the tourist revenue for the country.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below news reports on the issues:
Chinese Visitors Spent RM9.05 Billion In Malaysia Between Jan To June – Exceed RM30 Billion In 2025 – 6 Times More Than The Entire SG4 2025 States Budget Combined Together
26 November, 2024
Chinese Visitors Spend RM1.5 Billion in Malaysia Over CNY
MALAYSIA saw a 50% increase in tourists from China during Chinese New Year and tour operators estimated that they have spent between RM1bil and RM1.5bil in the country, reported Sin Chew Daily.
According to Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association president Paul Paw, more than 100,000 Chinese tourists, comprising some 5,000 tour groups, have visited Malaysia since Feb 5.
Paw said this represented a 50% increase compared to the same period in 2023, making Malaysia one of the top five destinations for Chinese tourists this year. “Tourists from China arrived in droves. Restaurants, shopping malls and food courts across the country were filled with people. It made us excited,” he said.
Paw added that Chinese tourists typically prefer touring either the northern region (Penang and Perak), central region (Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, and Melaka), or the southern region (Johor and Singapore), based on the proximity of tourist attractions.
Sabah, in particular, emerged as a popular diving destination among Chinese tourists.
The recent waiver of travel visas for Chinese tourists since December 2023 has been cited by many operators as a significant factor driving the surge in tourist numbers.
Source : Panorama
Chinese visitors spent RM9.05bil in Malaysia between January and June
The increase in direct and charter flights between China and Malaysia, coupled with mutual visa-free policies, has led to a notable rise in Chinese tourists visiting Malaysia this year, especially those who prefer flexible travel options.
Industry players suggest that these numbers may soon surpass pre-pandemic figures in 2019.
In the first eight months of this year, Malaysia welcomed 2,285,785 Chinese tourists, marking a 160% increase compared to the same period last year.
In 2019, before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia received 3.1 million tourists from China.
In May this year, China had agreed to extend its visa-free policy for Malaysian tourists until the end of 2025, and the visa-free duration per trip was extended from 15 to 30 days.
The Malaysian government later announced an extended visa exemption for Chinese travellers until the end of 2026.
Travel groups have reported that many Chinese tourists took advantage of the visa-free policy during China’s Golden Week, from Oct 1 to 7, allowing them to travel freely in Malaysia, nearly reaching the 2019 levels of tourism.
Chinese visitors spent RM9.05bil in Malaysia between January and June.
The Golden Week is China’s longest holiday stretch and a significant time for family reunions and travel.
Source : The Star
Chinese Visitors Spend In Malaysia Will Exceed RM30 Billion In Year 2025
Chinese tourism spending in Malaysia could surge to over RM30 billion next year, nearly double than 2019, driven by an expected increase in tourist arrivals from China and higher average spending per visitor, according to analysts.
They noted that Chinese visitors are spending significantly more in the post-COVID era.
In the first half of 2024, the average tourism expenditure per Chinese visitor was 27 per cent higher than in 2019 (1H 2024: RM6,242 vs. 2019: RM4,921), according to Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB).
“Our channel checks reveal that the recent summer holidays saw Chinese visitor arrivals exceeding even pre-COVID levels. We estimate that Chinese visitor arrivals may surge to five million in 2025 (60 per cent more than 2019), and Chinese tourism expenditure may also surge to over RM30 billion, it said in a note.
Malaysia and Singapore have emerged as top destinations for Chinese tourists, both ranking in the top 10 most visited countries, with flight seat capacity from China surpassing pre-pandemic levels. This is largely attributed to the waiver of visa requirements for Chinese visitors.
In the first eight months of this year, Malaysia saw the arrival of 2,285,785 Chinese tourists, a 160 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, Malaysia welcomed 3.1 million tourists from China.
Seat capacity from China to Malaysia and Singapore surged from below 80,000 in early 2023 to around 400,000 by September 2024. In September alone, seat capacity to Malaysia reached 123 per cent of pre-COVID levels, while Singapore saw 118 per cent.
“We observe Chinese visitation to Singapore because a third of all Chinese visitors to Malaysia enter by land from Singapore as part of ‘Xin-Ma-Tai’ (Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand) tours,” Maybank IB added.
The growth in seat capacity from China to Malaysia has been primarily driven by Chinese airlines rather than Malaysian carriers.
Based on the September 2024 seat capacity of 419,153 from China to Malaysia and an 80 per cent load factor, the investment bank estimates that Malaysia could receive four million Chinese visitors by air in 2025.
With an additional 1.1 million Chinese tourists expected to enter via land from Singapore, the total number of Chinese visitors could reach five million in 2025.
Source : NST
Thai PM & His Entire Cabinet Personally Welcome Chinese Tourists At Airport With Mandarin Banner While PN Slam Our Tourism Minister For Apologizing
26 November, 2024
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin personally welcomed Chinese tourists at Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday, the first day of the government’s visa-free promotion for visitors from China and Kazakhstan.
Dancers in traditional costume and puppeteers also performed for the surprised arrivals.
At the country’s biggest airport, in Samut Prakan province on the edge of Bangkok, the prime minister said the visa-free project had increased tour bookings ten-fold and more.
Mr Srettha mingled with passengers from Thai AirAsia X flight XJ761 from Shanghai. The flight brought 341 visitors from China, the first tour groups under the visa-free scheme. The tourism stimulus will continue for five months, until Feb 29.
“Tour reservations have surged by multiples of ten… We must encourage Chinese tourists to come to Thailand and visit not only major cities like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket but also secondary cities, so that they stay longer in Thailand and spend more,” the prime minister said.
At Suvarnabhumi airport, Mr Srettha said he witnessed quick immigration and baggage claim processes and that was a good sign for the stimulation of tourism, which the government expected to be an important engine of the national economy.
The government also organised events on Monday to welcome visitors from China and Kazakhstan at Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket airports.
From Jan 1 to Sept 17 there have been about 19 million tourist arrivals, and 2.34 million were Chinese, the second biggest tourism market for Thailand after Malaysia. This was about 37% of the number of visitors in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to officials.
Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said she expected 2.88 million visitors from China during the five-month visa-free scheme. This should result in 140.31 billion baht in tourism-related revenue, 62% of pre-Covid-19 tourism revenue for the same period in 2019.
TAT expected about 150,000 visitors from Kazakhstan this year and 129,485 during the five-month visa-free scheme, about 50% up on arrivals from there in the same period last year. This was expected to bring in 7.93 billion baht in tourism-related national revenue, Ms Thapanee said.
Present at the airport welcome ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Transport, H.E. Mr. Saksayam Chidchob, and Minister of Tourism and Sports, H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. They were joined by officials and figures from public and private organisations.
Source : Bangkok Post
Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has criticised Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing for apologising to China tourists.
At a press conference in Parliament today, the Bersatu lawmaker questioned Tiong’s motives and reasoning, describing the move as unwarranted and trivial.
Sorry for any unpleasant stay in Malaysia, Tourism Minister Tiong tells tourists from China
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing reportedly apologised to tourists from China over the country’s shortcomings.
Speaking at the China International Travel Mart (CITM) in Shanghai, Tiong said several Chinese tourists have complained of “unpleasantness” while travelling in Malaysia.
“For our shortcomings, I deeply apologise and extend Malaysia’s sincere apologies to Chinese tourists,” he was quoted saying by Malaysiakini.
“We will continue to maintain close communication with relevant parties to enhance the tourism service platforms further and improve the visitor experience.
“At the same time, we also pledge to prioritise the safety of tourists and provide each traveller with a safer and more comfortable travel experience through comprehensive measures,” he added.
It is uncertain what he was referring to, as he reportedly did not elaborate on this.
Tiong also said that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is very concerned with the matter, and relevant authorities have been directed to improve safety measures, and ensure a pleasant and memorable experience for tourists.
The number of Chinese tourists in Malaysia has surged with Malaysia’s relaxed visa regulations, as it is now easier for Chinese visitors to enter the country without additional paperwork.
Tourism Malaysia has set an ambitious target of 5 million Chinese visitors for 2025.
China is crazy about Malaysia’s durians, with the export value expected to rise to a record RM1.8 billion by 2030.
The state of Melaka has also tapped popular actress Fan Bingbing as a tourism ambassador, resulting in tourist arrivals exceeding its initial target at nearly 10 million as of September.
Tiong hits out at Dr M for criticising Chinese signboards
Tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing has hit out at former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for his criticism of signboards in Chinese.
He said such criticism could affect the country’s diversity and tourism industry.
Earlier this week, Mahathir claimed that Malaysia was unlike other Southeast Asian nations as it allowed shops to display Chinese characters prominently, acknowledging that this could be due to the numerous tourists from China.
Tiong said Mahathir’s statement did little to foster unity nor contribute to the economy’s development. He added that it also negatively impacts the country’s multicultural social fabric.
“As a (senior) statesman, Mahathir should support and work with the new generation to ensure stable national development instead of clinging to outdated views,” Tiong said on Facebook.
“But in recent years, all we’ve heard from Mahathir are statements (that) are not constructive and do not contribute to economic growth or social harmony.
“Raising such issues threatens the very foundation of our cultural diversity.”
On Nov 18, Mahathir questioned why shops were allowed to install signboards which did not use the Malay language after visiting one of the newer shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.
He maintained that using Chinese characters on signboards was fine, but said this should be limited to translations in smaller characters.
“Is this Malaysia or have we become part of China?” he said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Tiong also disagreed with Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) recent enforcement against shop owners who did not prioritise the national language on signboards.
Last month, DBKL said it had issued 20 fault notices and 10 enforcement notices to shop owners for “using languages other than the national language in an excessive manner” from January till Oct 16 this year.
In his Facebook post, Tiong said the enforcement has resulted in “emotional reactions” and crossed “unnecessary boundaries”.
He added that a negative perception of Malaysia would impact the country’s reputation among tourists, especially in view of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Tiong claimed that tourists have questioned Malaysia’s openness and inclusiveness as a result of DBKL’s actions.
“I suggest DBKL work closely with (Tourism Malaysia) for the Visit Malaysia Year (2026) campaign by improving the city’s basic infrastructure and creating more new and exciting tourist attractions.”
Last month, DBKL reiterated its call for shop owners to prioritise the use of the national language on their signboards, warning of consequences for non-compliance.
DBKL clarified that while registered brands do not need to be translated, other signboard texts must be presented in the national language with a larger font size.
The Advertisement (Federal Territory) By-laws 1982, which mandates that all advertisements be primarily in Malay, allows the inclusion of other languages.
Umno veterans back call to replace Tiong as tourism minister
-26 Nov 2024, 02:43 PM
Umno veterans’ club secretary Mustapha Yaakub says Tiong King Sing humiliated the nation through his remarks about Chinese-language signboards.
Umno veterans’ club secretary Mustapha Yaakub said Tiong King Sing should be replaced as tourism minister to protect Malaysia’s reputation. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: Umno veterans have joined the call for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to replace tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing over his remarks about Chinese-language signboards.
Describing Tiong’s statement as “humiliating”, Umno veterans’ club secretary Mustapha Yaakub said the minister should be replaced to protect the nation’s reputation.
“Which country in the world gives special treatment to their visitors to the extent of changing their signboards to suit their visitors’ language?
“The number of Malaysians visiting China is not small but the signboards on shopping centres in Beijing, Shanghai, and other places are still in Mandarin.
“Even if there are translations, they are in English,” he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.
He added that there was no need for Tiong to apologise to visitors from China due to allegedly unfair treatment by the Malaysian government.
Tiong had hit out at former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for his criticism of signboards in Chinese, saying such remarks could affect the country’s diversity and tourism industry.
Mahathir had claimed that Malaysia was unlike other Southeast Asian nations as it allowed shops to prominently display Chinese characters. He said this could be due to the numerous tourists from China.
He also asked why shops were allowed to install signboards which did not use the Malay language after visiting one of the newer shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.
Tiong criticised Mahathir’s statement, saying it did little to foster unity or contribute to economic development.
He also disagreed with Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s recent action against shop owners who did not prioritise the national language on signboards, claiming it had caused tourists to question Malaysia’s openness and inclusiveness.
Yesterday, Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin suggested that the government consider changing Tiong’s portfolio to one that focussed on enforcement action.
She said the minister should have defended the use of Malay as the national language on signboards.
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