Tourism Malaysia shifts focus to selected markets.

Byline: Fauziah Ismail

YOGYAKARTA, Sun: Malaysia hopes to maintain, if not better, the unprecedented growth in tourist arrivals last year, achieved despite the slump in the number of visitors in the last five months of the year, as the national tourism organisation undertakes a slight shift in strategic approach in its promotion blitz in target markets.

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) statistics showed a 25 per cent increase in arrivals last year to 12.775 million, from 10.221 million registered in 2000. Receipts were recorded at RM20 billion for 2001 compared with RM17.33 billion for the year-ago period.

"For this year, I would …