Malaysia becoming preferred destination for yachting enthusiasts

JOHOR BARU: With attractive marinas and a favourable exchange rate, Malaysia is fast becoming a preferred destination to Singapore for yachting enthusiasts.
State Tourism Department director Dr Badrul Hisham Kassim said the yacht tourism which has been privately-run thus far, contributed RM529 million to the economy from 2004 to 2014.
He was speaking to reporters at the media briefing on Discover Malaysia By Sea" at Puteri Harbour Marina in Kota Iskandar which has emerged as the must-visit marina in Malaysia.
According to Sazu Kamal Bashaevent, the managing director of SM Discovery Sdn Bhd, the organiser of the event, the proximity of Puteri Harbour to Singapore, and the favourable exchange rate of the Malaysian currency to the Singapore dollar are two factors that Malaysian is a preferred destination to Singapore for yacht tourism.
Sazu whose company has organising other yachting events said that participants and their yachts continue to be in the country from one to three years after the event.
He added that from 2004 to 2013, there were 771 yachts which stopped at Puteri Harbour , 602 at Langkawi and another 169 at Tawau, Sabah.
He said most sailors come from Australia, USA, United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, Canada, Netherlands and Germany.
Discover Malaysia By Sea on Nov 15 will bring in 80 participants with 35 yachts from eight countries. They will sail from Puteri Harbour to Port Dickson, Pangkor, Penang and finally end at Langkawi.