KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Selangor took a positive step towards realising its target of getting 5.6 million tourists to the state this year by taking part in the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) in Laos recently.
The forum, from Jan 22 to 26, was attended by key global tourism industry players and aimed to enhance tourist inflow to Asean countries.
Tourism Selangor utilised this opportunity to showcase its iconic tourism products, such as the Gombak Hulu Langat Geopark, Jungle School Gombak, Quartz Ridge Gombak, Splash Mania, Discovery Park, Paya Indah Wetlands, Sky Mirror, and FunPark, focusing on ecotourism and theme park attractions.
These were presented to over 400 hosted buyers and international sellers.
During the ATF, three tourism products in Selangor were honoured with the prestigious Asean Tourism Standard (2024-2026).
The Wyndham Acmar Klang and Sunway Resort Hotel received the Asean Mice (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Venue Standard in the Meeting Room category, while Setia City Convention Centre (SCCC) was recognised in the Exhibition Venue category.
As part of its strategic approach, Tourism Selangor in a statement said it aims to attract the interest of specific countries for targeted tourism experiences, such as Indonesia for medical tourism, Brunei for shopping attractions, and Singapore for gastronomy and ecotourism.
"Asean countries have played a pivotal role in Selangor's tourism sector, with 351,079 tourists visiting in 2022 and 241,875 tourists in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2023 from countries including Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
"Tourism Selangor has also facilitated impactful business-to-business (B2B) sessions in collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) and Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta) during the ATF in Laos," it said in a statement.
These sessions involved tourism key players from Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, paving the way for cross-promotional initiatives and collaborations throughout 2024.
Looking ahead, Tourism Selangor said it anticipates a series of cross-promotional events and collaborations, with the aim of reaching its target of attracting over seven million tourists by Visit Selangor Year in 2025.
"The ongoing international campaign, 'Splendid Selangor, Take Me Anywhere!', underscores the state's commitment to fostering bilateral relations with you interested nations and showcasing its diverse attractions, spanning ecotourism, theme parks, cultural and heritage, as well as splendid shopping and leisure experiences" it said.
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