The Malaysian Insight

MALAYSIA must view India as the next big tourism market after China to pull in wealthy Indian travellers, said industry players.

To do this, they said, Putrajaya must offer easier visa procedures and promote more local destinations.

According to data from the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, Indian tourists spend an average of RM4,712 per person over 6.8 nights in Malaysia. The Chinese, meanwhile, spend an average of 6.1 nights in the country.

In comparison, Indonesians and Saudis spend the most per capita when travelling in Malaysia at RM11,069 each, followed by the Brits (RM5,212), Americans (RM4,506), Chinese (RM4,411) and Japanese (RM4,113).

In the first three months of this year, the number of Indian tourists increased by 18.6% compared with the same period last year, from 133,015 to 157,690. They are now the sixth-highest number of foreign visitors to Malaysia, while Chinese nationals are in third place.

Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) president Uzaidi Udanis told The Malaysian Insight that while the government is focusing on China, it cannot neglect the Indian market as both countries are the world’s most populated.

The ultra-rich in India are substantial and could prove to be a huge market, he said.

However, he said, Malaysia lacks high-class Indian restaurants, a stumbling block in attracting wealthy tourists from India.

“We do not have high-class Indian restaurants because we lack the chefs and also the spices used in the dishes.”

Malaysia is also a preferred wedding destination for Indians as it is cheaper to do it here, said Uzaidi.

But, he pointed out that there are not enough sights to woo Indian travellers.

“What are the special sights in Kuala Lumpur? Other than the Twin Towers and Batu Caves, we lack tourism infrastructure. Indian tourists enjoy luxury cruises, so we hope they can stop more in Langkawi.”

Connectivity, visa woes

Mita secretary-general Adam Kamal said Malaysia’s e-visa system for Indian nationals is problematic and not as convenient as Thailand’s.

The government should also look into creating more direct flights to Penang, Sabah, Sarawak and Langkawi, he said.

“We hope those behind Visit Malaysia Year 2020 can organise more activities to attract Indian tourists, such as highlighting the nightlife in Malaysia.

“In Singapore, there are about 20 different night activities, so tourists like to go there.”

Even as India is a growing tourism market, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent speech at the United Nations, criticising the country over the Kashmir crisis, has ruffled feathers in India, with the #BoycottMalaysia hashtag gaining ground on social media.

However, Adam and Uzaidi both said Indian tourists have not cancelled their trips to Malaysia.

Red Apple Travel and Tour Sdn Bhd general manager Lynn Tan said Deepavali is the peak season for Indian tourist arrivals, and no tours were scrapped.

The Traveller director Jessica Koh shared similar news, saying its 1,500 bookings by Indian visitors for this month are proceeding as planned.

She said tourist numbers are slightly affected by New Delhi’s increased restrictions because of its own anti-corruption drive, and not due to the boycott call.

Adam said even though some travel agencies in India have announced their participation in the boycott, the movement is not gaining much traction and not affecting Indian tourist arrivals.

The period after October is the off-peak season for the tourism industry, and Indian arrivals will naturally be lower, he said, adding it is expected to pick up again during the year-end holiday season. – October 27, 2019.