JOHOR BARU: Tourism Johor is to hold a meeting with several specialist hospitals in an effort to boost the health tourism sector in the state, its director, Sharil Nizam Abdul Rahim, said today.
Plans and strategies for providing the best service in all aspects of the sector would be the matters to be discussed at the meeting, he said.
He said there should be continuous effort to improve the services in the sector which had been receiving good response from tourists from Indonesia.
"We want to offer services not just confined to hospitals but also in terms of comfortable accommodation in hotels close to these medical facilities," he told a press conference after a visit to the Zainals Place restaurant here.
Furthermore, tourists also need to have easy access to food and transportation services, and this can provide an economic spillover, he said when responding to a question on the response to the health tourism sector in Johor.
When asked about the effect of the ringgit's weakness on the tourism sector in Johor, Sharil Nizam said a positive impact can be created through tourism promotion to attract more tourists, especially from Singapore.
"We have to take advantage of the situation by promoting our products to attract tourists to Johor, and the business of our local entrepreneurs, such as Zainals Place, will grow.
"We cannot remain idle. Although the ringgit has weakened, we have to step up (tourism promotion) to draw investors and tourists to spend in Johor. This will improve the economy in the long run," he said.
– BERNAMA