Central Market, Thean Hou Temple identified as MICE centre

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The Central Market and the Thean Hou Temple here have been identified as the meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition (MICE) centres in efforts to attract more tourists and business travellers into the country, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said both locations had been identified as suitable as they were located in the city centre and had a vast area to accommodate a large number of visitors at any one time besides having various facilities and unique features.

"There is a need to attract more foreign business travellers and host international business exhibitions and conventions rather than to organise events that only attract locals.

"We need to be able to attract business travellers as they are capable of spending more, compared to the conventional tourists. When they come down, they spend on food, entertainment, accommodation and shopping and this will create a spill over effect for different sectors," she said after the Chinese New Year Gathering at the Malaysian Tourism Centre (Matic), here Tuesday.

Dr Ng said that as a MICE centre, the Central Market was expected to receive about 650 visitors for any event while the Thean Hou Temple could accommodate more than 1,000 people.

She said that the government recognised the tourism industry as a catalyst to economic growth under the 10th Malaysia Plan to stimulate the MICE sector.

"Malaysia welcomed 1.28 million international business tourism visitors in 2010 where the estimated spending for each international business tourism visitor is RM7,153 (US$2,350), which is three times the spending of an average leisure visitor," she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Ng said the Homestay programme in the country recorded a total arrival of 254,981 visitors between January and December 2011, an increase of 29.8 per cent from the previous year.

This could raise the income from the homestay programme by 32.6% last year compared to 2010 which was RM15,736,277.60.

The minister also disclosed that statistics on the arrivals of tourists to this country throughout 2011 would be presented to the cabinet next week.

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