Selangor tourism to bounce back

State expects to welcome 24 million domestic tourists by year end

THE number of foreign tourists to Selangor is anticipated to return to pre-pandemic levels next year due to the gradual relaxation of travel restrictions worldwide.

The chief executive officer of Tourism Selangor, Azrul Shah Mohamad, revealed that the state currently receives an average of 5.9 million international visitors annually.

“Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Selangor used to receive up to seven million foreign tourists each year.

“We expect this figure to recover by 2024,” he expressed.

Juliana and Azrul at Tourism Selangor’s booth, which was part of Matta Fair held at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre. The fair also featured entertainment including a dance (below) for Pusing Selangor Dulu Fiesta.

In terms of domestic tourists, Azrul projected that Selangor was likely to receive approximately 24 million visitors by the end of this year.

“We don’t have exact figures for expected tourism receipts, but we are collaborating closely with Tourism Malaysia to promote our attractions,” he further explained.

This statement was made by Azrul during the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The three-day event featured over 1,300 booths from various tourism operators offering international and domestic travel, as well as hospitality services.

Azrul, who launched the Tourism Selangor booth, hoped that Selangor’s tourism operators’ exhibits would attract around 70,000 people.

During March’s Matta Fair, Tourism Selangor managed to attract 30,000 visitors and generate RM150,000 in revenue.

For the current edition, the aim was to sell RM250,000 worth of tour packages from 20 booths offering various options including ecotourism, theme parks, and sports tourism, among others.

Tourism Selangor ambassador and actress Che Puan Juliana Sophie Johari Evans also made an appearance, hosting quizzes about tourism attractions in Selangor, rewarding winners with prizes, and visiting the booths.

Highlighted attractions included SplashMania Theme Park, Rumah Hutan Terapi Alam, GM Klang, Jumpstreet Asia, Chocolate Museum, Selangor Fruit Valley, Farm Fresh@Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Sky Mirror in Kuala Selangor.

Tourism Selangor also launched a TikTok contest to promote the state’s attractions, with cash prizes of up to RM5,000.

The previous March edition of the Matta Fair attracted 180,000 visitors, resulting in sales exceeding RM300 million, including RM34 million worth of domestic products.