'Visit Malaysia' campaign kicks off

Tourism Malaysia, the semi-statutory body under the ministry of tourism, Malaysia, announced its 'Visit Malaysia Year 2007' (VMY 2007) campaign here on Friday.

The Indian campaign, to cost about Rs 12 crore, is expected to attract visitors to Malaysia, which is celebrating its golden anniversary in 2007, on completion of 50 years of Independence.

The global campaign, VMY 2007, a marketing and promotion prelude to the actual 'Visit Malaysia Year 2007', was launched in India on February 20, 2006.

Announcing the launch here, Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg, deputy director general, Tourism Malaysia, said, "India is the first country where we are launching our global campaign officially. Malaysia as a destination is so positioned in the Indian market that any and every household with an average annual income of above Rs 5 lakh can visit our country."

"The Indian arrivals up to October 2005 was around 1.8 lakh and we are sure to have crossed the 2 lakh mark by the end of 2005," Beg added.

The tourism sales mission, spearheading the campaign across various cities in India will end its Indian campaign at Chennai on March 5, 2006.

The sales mission comprises 19 representatives from various hotels and resorts, and 18 tour operators and travel agents. The ministry expects to attract more than 20 million global visitors through this campaign.