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Sharp rise in Malaysians visiting Macau
(Asia In Focus Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)PATTAYA, April 26 Asia in Focus - Malaysian tourists visiting the former Portuguese colony of Macau have increased by more than 80 per cent in the past two years, largely due to the direct flights offered by low-cost airline AIRASIA (KLSE:5099). Macau Government Tourist Office Director Joao Manuel Costa Antunes said that last year 98,455 Malaysians went to Macau, including 23,714 who travelled by air and the rest by sea or land from nearby China and Hong Kong.
* This was almost double 2004's figure of 48,391 and was much higher than the 20,025 Malaysians who visited China's Special Administrative Region (SAR) in 1999, he said.
* "In 2003, the number of Malaysians going there was 24,555 and the travellers increased dramatically in 2004 and 2005 when AirAsia started flying to Macau. Malaysia is our seventh biggest market," Antunes said on the sidelines of the 55th Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) Conference here.
SUMMARY
No. of Malaysians visiting Macau jumps to 98,455 in 2005 from 48,391 in the previous yr: Macau tourist office
ASIA IN FOCUS
26-04 1352
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