MELAKA: The state government wants Melaka to remain a welcoming destination as it seeks to bolster tourism amid global uncertainties, says Datuk Lim Ban Hong.
The Melaka Chief Minister’s Special Investment and China Affairs Adviser said the conflict in the Middle East is expected to slow tourist arrivals, but also presents an opportunity to attract more visitors from China and South-East Asia.
“While we anticipate a drop in tourism due to the situation in the Middle East, we can still woo holidaymakers from other regions. However, the state government does not want to see complaints of unfriendly treatment towards local or foreign tourists,” he said after representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh at the Kwong Fook Association’s annual dinner in Cheng on Thursday (March 27).
Lim said Ab Rauf is determined to see tourism continue to grow and does not want visitors leaving dissatisfied because of poor hospitality.
“We have long been strengthened by our diversity, and all stakeholders must safeguard our image. We do not want visitors to regard this historic city as unfriendly,” he said.
Lim added that efforts are underway to boost arrivals from China, including outreach to smaller towns, in line with the Chief Minister’s vision to leverage Melaka’s cultural diversity, food heritage, history and traditions as a buffer against the impact of the Middle East conflict.
He also noted that he had earlier helped the Kwong Fook Association secure land for the Tua Pek Kong temple in Tanjung Minyak in 2011 while serving in the Melaka MCA legal bureau. The temple, first built by the Peranakan Chinese community in the 1900s, is now managed by the association.
