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The country’s tourism and culture ministry sees “fresh air” as one of the new initiatives under the its National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).
Malaysia wants tourists to visit for a breath of fresh air just as latest reports indicate that parts of the country are due to experience further eye-watering pain from smoke drifting from forest fires in Indonesia.
The country’s tourism and culture ministry sees “fresh air” as one of the new initiatives under the its National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS).
"Certain tourists are aware their countries are very polluted and Malaysia is very clean ... no pollution. When they come to our country, it is like 'lung washing' (for them) and we have to promote this," said the ministry's deputy secretary-general (tourism), Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah.
The tourism ministry plans a number of initiatives under the NBOS, including promoting the country as a preferred venue for filming movies and dramas, as an adventure destination, as well as a wellness retreat.
These strategies are aimed at helping Malaysia achieve the target of 36 million foreign tourists by 2020 and tourism expenditure of RM168 billion (US$42 billion).
Haze Update: Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has warned that prevailing winds will likely continue to blow smoke from forest fires in the western Riau province in Sumatra eastwards, towards Singapore and Malaysia.