Name: Loh Lai Kuen
Student ID: 1000819097
Malaysia’s into green tourism
Being the 9th most visited country in the world, Malaysia definitely has its stand in the tourism industry.
We are now on the track to promote green tourism by focusing on environment preservation along with the aim to attract more tourists from all over the world.
In the 2010 World Tourism Conference (WTC) launch yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters that Malaysia is on the right track in striking a balance between tourism development and protecting the environment.
“There is a need to come out with clear guidelines, maybe some standard approach on how this issue can be managed by governments and various stakeholders,”(The Star, 5 Oct 2010) he added.
He also made a clear call on the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to develop a mechanism on the best practices in green tourism as it would benefit member countries in many ways. (New Straits Times, 5 Oct 2010)
Muhyiddin goes on to explain that tourists nowadays would prefer to be closer to the nature.
“They want to go up to the mountain, they want to enjoy the environment. These are the pristine values of tourism that need to be conserved for future generations,”(The Star, 5 Oct 2010) he responded.
In the conference held yesterday, UNTWO secretary-general Taleb Rifai also commented that it is appropriate for the conference to be held in Malaysia as we are one of the world’s most visited country recording for about 23.6 million in tourist arrivals last year.
“I hope Malaysia could share its success in the tourism industry for other countries to emulate.” (New Straits Times, 5 Oct 2010)
Looking at the pace and progress of Malaysia in its path towards green tourism, it is expected that the tourism industry in our home ground will continue to grow and prosper in the long run.
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Sources:
1. The Star, 5 Oct 2010 - "Develop green tourism, says DPM"
2. New Straits times, 5 Oct 2010 - "Money's on green tourism"
