KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Tourism has become the sixth pillar industry of the Malaysian economy after directly contributing more than $15 billion to its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014, said Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia.
The minister said the tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.9 percent according to the forecasts of the World Tourism Organization, and China will become the world’s largest tourism economy by 2023.
He promised that the Malaysian government will take effective measures to attract more tourists from China by promoting green tourism and medical tourism, as well as improving their shopping experience in Malaysia. He also called on tourists to share their travel stories and experiences in the Southeast Asian country.
It is also expected that Malaysia’s tourism will make a direct contribution of about $24 billion to overall GDP by 2025.
