GEORGE TOWN, July 2 — The number of tourist arrivals to the country has dropped by 8.7 per cent compared to last year, said Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab.

He said the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flights incidents and floods in several places in the country were among the factors that contributed to the downward trend.

However, he was optimistic the statistics on tourist arrivals to Malaysia would improve in the second quarter of this year, especially during the hot season.

“Nevertheless when compared to the first quarter of this year to that of 2013, there is still an increase of five per cent,” he told reporters after officiating the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival 2015 (1MMSC) in Queensbay Mall, here today.

On the 1MMSC 2015, Mirza said 1,267 retailers were participating in the one-month long campaign.— Bernama