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THE MIDDLE EAST MARKET:
Hotels in Malaysia: Offering Comfort and Convenience
The Ambassador of Malaysia (former) to the UAE speaks about growing growing trade and tourism ties between the two countries...
By Naved Hasan in Dubai
Malaysia shares a deep bond with the people of the Middle East. A bond which goes back several centuries when seafaring traders from the region would sail into the welcoming shores of Malaysia on dhows to trade their wares with the people of Malaysia.
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| Dato' Syed Hussain Al Habshee, Ambassador of Malaysia (former) to the UAE |
Naturally then, when the UAE was formed in 1974, its friends in the Far East were among the first countries to express their support for the new confederation. Recognising each other’s strengths, the two countries moved quickly to establish mutually beneficial ties, spanning not just the areas of trade and commerce but also high level government-to-government contacts.
According to Dato’ Syed Hussain Al Habshee, Ambassador of Malaysia (former) to the United Arab Emirates, healthy economic and trade ties underpin the strong relationship between Malaysia and the UAE. “The fact that these ties are growing exponentially, is as much due to the tremendous support such activities receive from the leaders of the two countries, as it is to the fact that both the UAE and Malaysia are trading and distribution hubs for their respective regions,” he said. The UAE is now undoubtedly the trading centre of the entire Middle East, just as Malaysia has emerged as one of the most significant gateways to the Far East. Both the countries are economically vibrant and have enterprising business communities.
“Another thing that has helped the two countries come closer is the fact that we are both bound by Islamic tradition as Malaysia has a large Muslim population,” added Dato’ Syed Hussain Al Habshee. “Due to this, we understand and respect each other’s cultures and Arab traders and investors from the Middle East feel very comfortable doing business with us,” he said.
The opening of the Malaysian Trade Centre and the relentless efforts of MATRADE have gone a long way in promoting bi-lateral trade and boosting economic co-operation between Malaysia and the UAE. The fact that the UAE has emerged as Malaysia’s biggest trading partner in West Asia and ranks among Malaysia’s top 15 largest export markets reflecting the strengthening of trade relations between the two countries. Not only have exports to the UAE registered a phenomenal growth but imports from UAE has also increased by by leaps and bounds in recent years.
According to Dato’ Syed Hussain Al Habshee, Malaysia is very keen to attract investments from the UAE. Setting up the Malaysian Trade Centre (MTC) in Dubai and the initiatives by MATRADE have succeeded in garnering a larger share of UAE overseas investment. “Many UAE businessmen are looking at short-term investments at the present moment and real estate could be a major attraction,” he said.
Pointing out the various attractions of Malaysia as a destination for foreign investment, he added that the country has a modern industrial and distribution infrastructure. It offers skilled labour, well-established legal system, world-class financial systems and state-of-the-art telecommunications. Moreover, a new law allowing foreigners to buy properties has given a new impetus to foreign investments in Malaysia. The Ambassador (former) stressed that the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Malaysian Consulate in Dubai have taken several steps to facilitate trade and allow for easy movement of business visitors and tourists to Malaysia.
Referring to growing cultural and educational contacts between the two sides, Dato’ Syed Hussain Al Habshee pointed out that several UAE students are already going to various colleges and educational institutions in Malaysia. “We are keen to promote educational ties between the two countries and highlight the excellent standard of education and facilities we provide to students from the Middle East,” he added.
And last but not the least, he said, Malaysia is doing a lot to promote tourism and make Middle Eastern travellers aware of the fascinating attractions that the country has. Aggressive marketing of Malaysia has resulted in the country emerging as the fourth most popular vacation spot for Middle Easterners. The country has rolled out the red carpet for visitors from the Middle East and both tour operators and hotels are doing everything they can to make their stay comfortable. The growing number of tourists from the region has resulted in many airlines doubling the frequency of their flights from the region.
“Our country offers a huge variety of locations and activities to tourists from the Gulf... from idyllic beaches to historical sites to glamorous attractions of Kuala Lumpur, we have attractions to suit all tourists,” said Dato’ Syed Hussain Al Habshee.
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