KUALA LUMPUR, The surge in utility bills by over 35 per cent at hotels across Melaka during the first three months of this year serves as one of the indicators of an increase in tourist arrivals to the state in conjunction with the Visit Melaka Year 2024 (VMY2024).

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said during that same period, Melaka also recorded an increase in the number of vehicles entering through the state’s primary entry points.

‘The rise in tourist arrivals can certainly be felt by traders in tourist spots, and in terms of accommodations, we are looking for various indicators showing an increase in tourist arrivals.

‘…to get the exact number of tourists, we have to wait six months, and in terms of traffic, we can see a noticeable surge of vehicles entering Melaka,” he said after the recording of Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme today.

Ab Rauf said that the government’s move to grant a 30-day visa-free entry for citizens of China and India from Dec 1 last year also contributed to the ri
se in tourist arrivals to the state.

He said that China, for instance, demonstrated significant support for the success of Melaka’s tourism industry, as seen by the involvement of two cultural teams from Guangxi Province in a special performance during the VMY2024 launch last year.

‘We are establishing a relationship with China through investment, tourism as well as art and culture, through which we can strengthen our bilateral relations,” he said.

The presence of the cultural team symbolises the bilateral cooperation between Melaka and China, particularly as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations this year.

The Melaka Government is hosting VMY2024 from Jan 1 to Dec 31 with the theme “Mana Lagi? Melaka Ler!’ with the objective of establishing Melaka as the primary and preferred tourist destination this year.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency