AT least five international cruise ships with foreign tourists from all over the world are scheduled to arrive in Malaysia from now until March next year.
Federal Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said these cruise ships are from Dubai, Shanghai, Mauritius and Europe.
They are on a world tour and Malaysia is one of their destinations, he said in a statement.
"These cruise ships will dock at Swettenham Pier in Penang and are expected to bring at least 4,600 foreign tourists to Malaysia.
"They are on their voyages around the world from Dec 6 until March 30 next year and will dock at Penang," said Tiong.
The Bintulu MP said his ministry is going big in promoting Malaysia as a key cruise destination.
He said Penang will be promoted as the main docking port due to its strategic location and its status as an international tourism hub.
Penang is a renowned food paradise, cultural and historic hub, he said.
Tiong has also been successful in getting new flights into Malaysia from many international routes.
On Oct 3, Tiong also announced that his ministry had secured deals with international airlines, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia to open up numerous new direct flights from overseas into major destinations in Malaysia.
These include the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malacca, Sabah, Penang and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Selangor. - December 10, 2024
