Malaysia keeps strong focus on Dubai as gateway to Middle East

Malaysia continues its strong focus on Dubai as a gateway to promising markets in the Middle East, according to Malaysian Minister of Tourism and Culture Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The current Arabian Travel Market, ATM 2017, derives its importance from the emirate's stature as a global hub for business, tourism and innovation, he has said at a press conference held to announce the official launch Salam Standard, a premium hotel classification scheme for Muslim-friendly accommodation.

The global online tourist information tool created by the Malaysian Islamic Tourism Centre aims to improve quality standards and transparency for Muslim travellers and boost the global visibility of accommodation that meets this demographic's faith-based needs.

Some 14150 tourists from the UAE visited Malaysia last year - a decline of 10.3 per cent from the previous year- and spent around 108 million ringgits, he noted.

More than 70 Malaysian public and private organisations, including resorts, hotels and tour operators, are participating in ATM 2017 which runs in Dubai from 24 to April 27.

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