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00:20 The world has changed since we came out of the pandemic
00:23 and this change is more obvious in some industries such as travel and tourism.
00:28 It has forced us to rethink and reimagine the way we travel,
00:33 to grow up, to mature, to embrace the fact that we are inextricably connected
00:39 to a global community and to acknowledge that we need to embrace
00:43 this paradigm shift if we are to ensure that our tourism sector,
00:48 something that Malaysia does very well actually,
00:51 will not only be sustainable but will also thrive and flourish.
00:56 One positive and significant trend to emerge post-pandemic
01:00 is the uptick in domestic tourism. More Malaysians have taken to exploring their
01:06 own backyard extensively, viewing their own country through new
01:10 lenses and this has resulted in a surge of
01:14 creativity especially amongst domestic and inbound
01:17 tourism stakeholders. Even more encouraging is the refreshing
01:22 enthusiasm demonstrated by many of our leaders
01:25 in driving not only the conversation but the execution of bold strategies
01:32 that will both elevate tourism within their own territories
01:35 as well as nationally. A perfect example of this is the Singapore East
01:43 which is Matape's favourite Malaysian destination
01:47 this March. Truly a gem within its own sight.
01:52 Now why do I say this? It was a bit of a discovery to me
01:56 but I have only recently found out that the entire state of Perlis itself
02:02 is a UNESCO Geopark.
02:07 And it's not only famous for its haram manis mangoes,
02:15 its unique and harmonious blend of southern Thai
02:18 and Malay cultures, its rolling fields and national parks,
02:22 it evokes a sense of going back to a time when life was simpler and more
02:26 tidy. One of the key drivers of tourism is
02:29 transportation and we must recognise and acknowledge
02:32 that travel is a two-way street. Both public and private sectors must
02:37 stop the inward focus and push towards a more open
02:40 environment where both the inflow and the outflow of
02:44 tourism is encouraged and efficiently managed.
02:47 Each Mata Fair in Baiteng which covers approximately 37,000
02:52 square metres of exhibition space and attracting nearly 150,000 visitors
02:58 over the weekend averages a turnover of approximately
03:02 300 million or 60 million US dollars each fair and out of that ladies and
03:08 gentlemen, 90 million ringgit is generated by
03:12 domestic tourism sales alone in one weekend.
03:18 I would like to suggest that all tourism players
03:27 including the state government to redouble their efforts
03:30 and cooperate making thorough preparations to ensure that the upcoming
03:35 BC Malaysia Year 2026 campaign which targets the arrival of 26.1 million
03:41 tourists is achieved and provides an optimal
03:45 economic impact towards the delegating Malaysia as one of the
03:50 major tourist destinations in the international market.
03:54 Ladies and gentlemen, the launching of BC Malaysia 2024-2025
04:01 it marks the first step taken by the Perlis State Government
04:06 towards the BC Malaysia Year 2026. The state of Perlis is privileged
04:12 to be highlighted as Malaysia's favourite destination
04:17 in its upcoming plan. With that, I hope that Mata
04:20 will further enhance promoting Perlis as a beautiful, peaceful and unique tourist destination.
04:28 Please come to Perlis to discover its undeniable charm.
04:32 On that note, Perlis is also eager to see investment
04:36 on having either four or five star hotels to support
04:40 the positive increase in tourist numbers during this year
04:43 exceeding 4 million visitors in 2023.
04:48 I hereby congratulate you once again to Mata and wish you
04:51 continuous success always. I hereby officially
04:56 inaugurate the Mata Fair 2024. I wish you all the best.
05:02 Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh. Thank you. Thank you. Salam.
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