MELAKA: Continued political turmoil could derail years of effort to position Melaka as a global tourism hotspot, said the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Melaka Immediate Past Chairman.
Goh Hock Gin said that political stability is crucial to sustaining the state's steady influx of domestic and international visitors.
“The state government has been very supportive of the tourism industry and has continued encouraging us to push for higher tourist arrivals,” he said in an interview on Friday (July 17).
Goh said the state government’s decision to appoint Chinese actress Fan Bingbing as Melaka’s Tourism Friendship Ambassador in 2024 had generated strong interest among tourists from China.
He said the popular actress helped the state generate an estimated 1.5 billion digital impressions on WeChat.
“We are also seeing visitors from Indonesia, Australia, Europe and India.
“The local tourism players have to thank Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh,” he said.
Goh also expressed his appreciation to the state government for providing incentives to tourism associations.
“We hope these incentives will also support activities that create lasting value,” he added.
