PUTRAJAYA, April 25 ― Malaysia and Qatar will enhance cooperation in the tourism sector through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will be signed in the near future, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi.

He said both governments were in the midst of reviewing the MoU, which is aimed at increasing tourist arrivals from Qatar to Malaysia and vice versa, through information-sharing, training for tourism workers and joint promotions.

Last year, he said, over 4,000 tourists from Qatar visited Malaysia, an increase of 95 per cent from the previous year.

“Both sides will be working together to get more Malaysians to go to Qatar and tourists from Qatar to go to Malaysia especially during the Visit Malaysia 2020,” he told Bernama after receiving a courtesy call from Qatar Ambassador to Malaysia, Fahad Mohammed Kafoud, here today.

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Mohamaddin said during the half-an-hour meeting, they also discussed the subject of tourist connectivity, and he asked the ambassador to consider the possibility for Qatar Airways adding Kota Kinabalu, Sabah to its list of direct flights from Doha.

He added that according to the ambassador, the matter would be looked at.

Meanwhile, Fahad said the Qatari Government was looking forward to collaborations between both countries in the tourism sector.

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“This is just the beginning of a very fruitful relationship especially when we had direct instruction from the two leaders of the two countries to enhance collaboration and partnership in all fields including airports and airlines,” he said.

On Monday, Mohamaddin said his ministry was in the midst of discussing with several international airline companies, among them Condor, Qatar Airways, IndiGo Airline and TUI fly, to increase their flight destinations in the country. ― Bernama