PADANG RENGAS, Jan 7 — The stronger ringgit will not affect tourist arrivals as the purchasing power of foreign travellers is still high, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said.
He said for instance, the buying power of Singaporean tourists was still three times higher when they visited Malaysia.
“The tourists like our very good weather conditions, beautiful scenery and food, making them love to visit the country,” he told reporters after attending a briefing on current issues in Lubok Merbau here today.
The ringgit closed at its highest level in 17 months when it reached 3.9950/0000 against the US dollar on Friday.
Encouraging economic data released this week, particularly in the US, Europe and China, as well as large inflows of foreign funds into the domestic equity market also supported new confidence in the country’s economy. — Bernama
