SPECIAL receptions were held at major entry points to welcome domestic and international tourists as a symbolic gesture to mark the start of the Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM2020) campaign on the first day of the year.
In Penang, state Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin was at the Penang International Airport and Penang Bridge to welcome the tourists. Similar welcome receptions were held concurrently at 22 entry points throughout the country.
Malaysia is targeting 30 million tourist arrivals and RM100 billion in tourist receipts for 2020.
“We want to spread the excitement of Visit Malaysia 2020 and Experience Penang 2020. The campaign promises colourful celebrations with an impressive line-up and exciting events throughout the year,” Yeoh told reporters at the Penang International Airport on Jan 1.
He added that the arrival of international and domestic tourists to Penang has increased by some 10 per cent for year 2019 (till November).
“Domestic arrivals recorded 3.93 million tourists and international one hit 4.16 million.
“Through the ‘Experience Penang Year 2020 campaign, with Diversity of Asia as its slogan’, the state government would like to promote Penang as a destination of choice for its beaches and hills, delicious food and adventure like Gravitz and Escape,” he said.
Joining Yeoh to welcome the tourists and hand out souvenirs to them at the airport were Penang Global Tourism chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan, its tourism director Kenneth Tan and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Penang tourism director Jonathan Freddy P. Bagang.
Also present were Tourism Malaysia northern region director Ahmad Husni Ahmad Basri and Malaysia Airports operation senior executive Azmi Darus.
The group also handed out tourism car stickers to some 200 motorists at the Penang Bridge.
Story & pix by Danny Ooi