Asean member countries have agreed to adopt the term "visitor" in tourism statistics, replacing distinctions like "tourist" and "excursionist" to ensure more consistent reporting, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
During his ministerial reply on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address on Wednesday (Feb 20), Tiong stated that the decision was made at the Asean Tourism Ministers Meeting held on Jan 19 in Johor.
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During his ministerial reply on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address on Wednesday (Feb 20), Tiong stated that the decision was made at the Asean Tourism Ministers Meeting held on Jan 19 in Johor.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Ladies and gentlemen,
00:02Actually, there is no difference in the arrival data that was reported.
00:09There is only a difference in the recognition that was used by the Brahmins who raised this issue.
00:20This issue has long been discussed.
00:24We have certainly understood this issue together.
00:33The methodological and strategic report has been discussed with the ASEAN expert
00:45during the visit on 4 December 2004.
00:51And he agreed that we must include night visits and daily visits,
01:01as opposed to daily visits that continue to contribute to the economy through shopping,
01:10food, and other services, such as foreign tourists and visitors.
01:25He also agreed in the meeting of the ASEAN Visiting Ministers on 4 January 2025.
01:33This is a story from several Arab countries.
01:40The Arabs also agreed.
01:41They said that people come to visit once a day,
01:44and on the way back, they also calculated that people come and contribute a lot to the economy.
01:50That's why we don't use tourists.
01:52We always use excursionists.
01:54In the end, we use visitors.
01:57Now, we all use visitors.
01:59You said that there is no difference.
02:04Actually, there is a difference.
02:06I don't care what methodology you want to use.
02:12Whether you want to use visitors or tourists, it's up to you.
02:18But the problem is that it has not yet been brought to the Cabinet, but it has already been announced.
02:24You discussed with the ASEAN Secretary General to bring it to the ASEAN Tourism Forum,
02:33and he did not agree to use it.
02:36But the problem is that you have not yet brought it to the Cabinet,
02:41but you have already made an announcement.
02:43You need to know that you don't have a problem with the methodology you want to use.
02:51But I suggest to you that if you want to use visitor arrivals and receipts,
02:58you need to take some time to change the way you calculate,
03:02and also the mechanism to do the survey.
03:05And all the information and data collected by DOSM,
03:10with the help of the Malaysian Immigration Department,
03:12with the help of Customs,
03:14with the help of the Malaysian National Bank,
03:16with the help of the Malaysian Government.
03:17So I suggest to you to organize well with the team at MOTEC,
03:21and if we look at it, we need to do a survey,
03:23whether it is good or not,
03:25to give an advantage or disadvantage to our country.
03:27Because if we really want to use daily visitors, as you suggested,
03:32it will affect the income per capita.
03:37Definitely.
03:38Secondly, today the budget that MOF has given to MOTEC is definitely not enough.
03:42You think it's enough? It's not enough.
03:44That's why you need to do a survey first.
03:47I suggest to you to do a survey first,
03:49whether it is good or not.
03:50If it is good, then you can do it.
03:51But this year, in 2020-2025,
03:54it has been estimated to be 2020-2026.
03:57I think it is not appropriate.
03:59Maybe you can do a survey first,
04:00but don't implement it yet.
04:01Because if you implement it,
04:03with such a tight budget,
04:06I hope that you, the Prime Minister, will listen.
04:09You need to give more to the Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Malaysia
04:13because it brings a very large country's income to the country.
04:19That's why I suggest you to do a survey first,
04:22do a consultation,
04:24discuss it with various agencies and ministries
04:26for you to bring it to the Cabinet,
04:30and then announce it.
04:32Then it will look steady as a Minister of Tourism.
04:35That's the way.
04:36That's all. Thank you, Your Honour.
04:37Thank you, Your Honour.
04:40That's true.
04:41His story is great.
04:43We have done a survey.
04:46We have discussed it in ASEAN countries.
04:50That's the decision there.
04:52He said that he agreed.
04:55Including Thailand.
04:56Many Malaysians also came in and out.
04:59From the border.
05:00That's it.
05:01We don't argue over it.
05:02This is the decision in ASEAN.
05:05Everyone agrees.
05:07Visitors.
05:08There are tourists, there are excursionists.
05:10Now we don't use them.
05:11We use visitors.
05:12We have done the survey.
05:15If we want to do a capital survey,
05:17I can answer it in writing.
05:19We all have done the survey at the airport.
05:21How many have we done the survey?
05:22How many from China?
05:23How many from Arab countries?
05:25How many from Singapore?
05:27We all have done the survey.
05:28We are not plugged in the air.
05:32I hope that we can come together
05:36and pray that we, the tourism sector,
05:39can help the economic people in our country.