Indians flocking to Malaysia as tourism booms

Indians flocking to Malaysia as tourism booms
Tourists from the second most popular populous country in the world, India, are flocking to Malaysia, according to a leading international newspaper.

The Malaysian tourism board has revealed that 279,000 Indians visited Malaysia in 2006, with 400,000 expected to come this year ? making it a good place for UK investors to cash in on the country's booming holiday trade....

Article Date : Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Tourists from the second most popular populous country in the world, India, are flocking to Malaysia, according to a leading international newspaper.

The Malaysian tourism board has revealed that 279,000 Indians visited Malaysia in 2006, with 400,000 expected to come this year ? making it a good place for UK investors to cash in on the country's booming holiday trade.

In fact, hundreds of Indians have participated in a scheme called 'Malaysia my second home', whereby tourists are allowed to invest into the country's real estate market.

However, they are forbidden to lease their property or conduct any form of business from the premises, reports the Times of India.

According to tourism director Arif Mohammed Noor, tourism is the second largest contributor to Malaysia' economy.

"Given the large disposable income of people in India and the growing urge of a holiday destination, we are confident that the response from India will be tremendous," stated Mr Noor.

The Malaysian government recently announced new measures in order to boost investment in the country's property sector. One of the strategies is to speed up approvals for development applications from three or five years to six months.