A total of 36 million foreign tourists are expected to visit the country by the year 2020 with an estimated revenue of RM168 billion from tourism, said Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said the target was achievable with the implementation of 12 strategic initiatives under the National Key Result Areas for tourism such as ‘Luxury Malaysia’ and ‘Agrotourism’.

“Malaysia had received 24.6 million tourists from all over the world in 2010 with tourism revenue totalling RM56.4 billion... this shows an income of more than RM1 billion a week.

“Who gets the income? ...taxi drivers, fruit sellers, food traders and other Malaysians. Here we see that tourism is an agent for economic prosperity for the rakyat,” she said when winding-up the debate on the Supply Bill 2012 for the ministry at the Dewan Rakyat sitting in Kuala Lumpur today.

She said that in order to attract more tourists, the main factor to be emphasised by Malaysians was cleanliness, especially the areas that the tourists would be visiting such as the beaches and public amenities.

Meanwhile, she said, since the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP), the ministry had received many proposals for tourism projects from the state governments but it only had the allocation to implement between 30 and 40 percent of the proposed projects.

“The ministry must give priority to viable projects, facilities and deliveries in line with the tourism plans of the state governments such as the Malacca tourism heritage and Sabah agro tourism,” she said.

Ng said that through the first ‘rolling-plan’ of the 10th Malaysia Plan, Malacca had allocated RM118 million to develop 17 high-impact tourism projects including the Hang Tuah Village, Monorail and upgrading the Botanical Garden.

She said that under the 10th Malaysia Plan, the govwernment had also allocated RM27 million to upgrade tourism infrastructure on the islands such as in Pulau Pangkor, Pulau Sibu and Pulau Duyong.

- Bernama