KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia tourism ministry believes that by promoting the country's art and culture it can increase tourism to the country. Tourism Minister Ng Yen Yen said on Thursday that the ministry will push the promotion of art and Malaysian culture to foreign audiences to boost knowledge of what a tourist can experience in the country. She said it would be in addition to the promotion of the country's natural wonders, its beaches and resorts. She was quoted as saying that efforts “would be made to highlight Malaysia as a lifestyle destination, including through the promotion of art, as this Southeast Asian nation was not only about fabulous beaches, food or nature.” She added that tourists had come to buy Malaysian art, “thanks to promotional activities in places like Bali, Singapore and London.” Speaking at the soft launch of an art exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) on Thursday, Ng said that “art festivals organized in Malaysia had also contributed in attracting more visitors to the country. “And according to the National Art Gallery, the number of local visitors is increasing following a move to promote local artists through various exhibitions,” she said. The minister argued that art would also help generate an increase in income for the country. On the art galleries set up at the Tourism Ministry in Putrajaya and the Malaysia Tourism Centre in Jalan Ampang here, she said they served as a platform for local artists to display their work, Bernama news agency reported.
