|
|
MELAKA, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- The Melaka Government wants to make the state the largest shopping venue in southern Peninsular Malaysia, attracting shoppers also from Singapore and Indonesia's Sumatra, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam said.
More shopping centres would be built in collaboration with the private sector to meet the ever-increasing response from shoppers, he added.
"Our market potential is seven million people, including from Singapore and Sumatra, apart from Malaysians," he said when opening the "Ekspo Melaka 2005" at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh near here.
Mohamed Ali said shopping centres were one of the 12 sub-sectors of tourism being popularised by the state government, and they were a draw for foreign tourists including those from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
He also said that trade exhibitions and expositions would be held more frequently in the state in co-operation with the private sector.
Mohamed Ali said the state government had projected 4.6 million tourist arrivals this year, up from the original target of 4.4 million, due to the introduction of new tourism products such as the Melaka River, MITC, attractive landscaping and parks as well as existing products such as the museum, zoo, shopping centres and homestay programme.
He said 3,340,064 tourist arrivals were recorded between January and September this year, well above the 2,917,890 arrivals for the same period last year. For the whole of last year, the state recorded four million tourist arrivals.
The exposition launched today will be on until Nov 6, and markets various products and services at about 400 booths operated by entrepreneurs from Melaka, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taiwan and Bangladesh.
[ Last edited by rapid at 22-8-2006 03:04 PM ] |
Rate
-
1
View Rating Log
-
|
Post time 3-8-2006 12:35 PM
:
