Still many potential tourists destinations that remains untapped in Malaysia: MAS CEO

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has a huge potential to develop the tourism market but currently is only scratching the surface of it, said Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chief executive officer Peter Bellew.
He said one of the main problems is the lack of facilities for tourists.
"There is a need for more hotels, other types of accommodation and tourist themed restaurants," he said.
He hoped that the government will place emphasis on developing tourism in Budget 2017 by providing Tourism Malaysia with more funds for promotional activities.
He said China is at the most three to four hours away and most Chinese tourists are attracted to Malaysia because of the food and language similarities.
He said the government should give incentives to people developing hotels and tourist facilities because it will easily create jobs and will be good for the country.
"There is huge stretch of untouched and undeveloped beach which is about 64km long in Sabah and Sarawak.
"It's one of the most beautiful areas that can be developed to attract tourists," Bellew told reporters during the launch of the partnership between MAS and Liverpool Football Club (LFC) where MAS will be the official global airline for LFC for a three-year period.
He added that the airline will have access to the pitch side digital advertising and will be sending out its messages on its promotional activities in three languages, English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.
Bellew said the partnership will give the airline instant access to a global audience that it will not otherwise have and the cost is under 10% of the advertising and promotion budget.
He added that young Malaysian footballers will benefit from the coaching clinics that will be organised by LFC here.
He added that LFC has 100 million fans in Southeast Asia and 40 million in China alone who will get to know the MAS brand through this partnership.