MELAKA ENVISAGES 'ARAB CITY' TO BOOST TOURISM

By Manik Mehta

MELAKA, March 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's southeren state of Melaka, whose
tourism sector accounts for about 30 per cent of its gross domestic product,
expects the 'Arab City' being set up in the state to bolster tourism inflow,
particularly from oil-rich Arab countries.

In an interview with Bernama at his office here, Zainal Hussin, the deputy
state secretary (development) of the state economic planning unit in the Chief
Minister's Department, said the Middle East was a "very important market" for
the state's tourism sector.

He said the sector clocked 7.2 million tourists last year, exceeding the
target of 6.8 million set for that year, adding that about 80 per cent of the
tourists were domestic while the rest were foreigners.

According to Zainul, Egyptian entrepreneur Sheikh Saleh was setting up the
ambitious Arab City project which would offer facilities of interest to Arab
tourists and a wide range of original Arab food specialties. The project will
embrace about 250 bazar-style stalls.

"The Arab City will involve a RM300 million investment," said Zainul.

An agreement to set up the bazaar has already been signed by Melaka.

Besides the Arab City, Melaka is promoting an open theme park, a
planetorium, the creation of the biggest bowling alley, a 'snow centre' complete
with snow landscape and skiing facilities.

Melaka has, meanwhile, introduced a novel way to take tourists around in two
red double-decked buses imported from London to give tourists "the feeling of
being in London", as Zainul put it.

The state's tourism industry is expected to get a further boost through
Bollywood. Melaka is toying with the idea of creating a studio in the state to
replicate a typical Bollywood-style studio.

When Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan visited Melaka last November to receive
the honorific title of 'datuk' from the Melaka chief minister, large numbers of
fans visited the state, not only from within Malaysia but also from Singapore
and Indonesia.

The actor's presence and the power of Bollywood films gave Melaka tremendous
exposure in the international media. The popularity of the event prompted Melaka
tourism planners to consider setting up a film studio to attract film producers
from Mumbai and, in effect, Indian tourists.

"Shah Rukh Khan told us that he would like to do a film in Malaysia and I
hope he will consider it," said Zainul.

India is one of the top 10 countries of tourism traffic to Melaka. By
creating the studio, Zainul hoped, more Indian tourists would be lured to the
state which received nearly 20,000 Indian tourists last year.

The state government will soon send a delegation to Mumbai to scout for a
suitable Bollywood studio which would then be replicated in Melaka.

China is another big market for Melaka's tourism sector and Zainul is "very
bullish" about the Chinese market.

"We have an official stationed in Nanjing to promote tourism to our state,"
he disclosed.
-- BERNAMA