KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry hopes to woo sophisticated office ladies and men from Japan to visit and spend in Malaysia.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said shopping would be the main attraction offered to these “sophisticated office ladies” (SOL), while golfing and diving packages would be sold to the men.

“We want the SOL group who shop in Europe and Western countries to come here. Our advantage is the duty-free shopping,’’ she said.

Dr Ng, who visited Japan and China recently, said the ministry was also targeting students and pensioners from Japan.

She said the students would be encouraged to experience the diversity of Malaysian culture through homestay programmes.

“The Japanese government en­­courages its students to travel overseas with a cost of not more than ¥100,000 (RM3,500) per student.

“We will make arrangements for Malaysian students to join the trips to promote cultural exchange programmes between the two counties,’’ she said.

She said the package for pensioners would focus on arts, music, culture and eco-tourism.

“They can come here during the low season and stay longer,’’ she said, adding that the group, who received an average monthly pension of US$2,000 (RM7,000), were encouraged to participate in the My Second Home Programme.

The ministry’s statistics showed that Malaysia welcomed 949,864 Chinese and 433,462 Japanese tourists last year.

She said Tourism Malaysia would also set up the Malaysia pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, to be held from May to October next year, to showcase the modern city and quality living of the country.

She said she has tabled a proposal to the Cabinet for the setting up of an inter-ministerial facilitator committee to boost the tourism industry.

“We will also propose to the Immigration Department to put up a special hospitality desk for tours with more than 100 participants,’’ she said.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/6/nation/3843102&sec=nation

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