KUALA LUMPUR: The tourism industry must embrace the increasingly apparent trend of digital technology usage in tourist travel by harnessing the public-private sector resources, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi.
“According to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), in the next decade, digitalisation in aviation, travel and tourism is expected to create up to US$305 billion (RM1.2 trillion) in value for the sector along with increased profitability. It will also generate benefits valued at US$700 billion (RM2.8 trillion) for customers and wider society.
“This means higher tourism income, more job opportunities, new businesses and improved infrastructure that contribute to overall economic development.
“At the same time, it will also help in advancing cultural understanding and bringing people together,” he said in his opening speech at the World Tourism Destinations Forum 2018 – Building An Outstanding World-Class Tourism Destination here yesterday.
Mohamaddin’s speech was delivered by the the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Rashidi Hasbullah. Also present was Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz S.A. Kadir, chairman of Confexhub Group that organised the forum.
The two-day World Tourism Destinations Forum, formerly known as Global Tourism Cities Conferences, will end today, with the forum focusing on planning, development and management of tourism destinations.
The forum has drawn some 200 participants from 19 countries including the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, France, Russia, Japan, Germany and Sri Lanka.
Mohamaddin said to build an outstanding, world-class tourism destination, and in tourism planning and decision-making, such matters as policies, products or promotions should therefore involve all tourism stakeholders in a destination, including the host communities.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz also acknowledged the challenging trends of today’s world tourism which had evolved beyond tourism infrastructure and iconic architecture, as well as planned tourism cities like in the past.
He said the tourism industry landscape continued to evolve at a greater pace with the rise of digital technology, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and many other innovations expected at most of the tourism cities.
“It has passed the development, safety, infrastructure, thematic and historical value stage. Tourists today look beyond all this and want a whole new feel and experience which bring convenience and comfort while they travel.
“Thus, it is important for the tourism stakeholders and relevant government agencies to be on par with the digital evolution,” he said. – Bernama
