LANGKAWI: Tourists spent a whopping RM6.77 billion on shopping in the first six months of the year.

This represents an astounding rise of 86.3 per cent from the RM3.63 billion spent on shopping in the same period last year.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said total tourist receipts for the same period amounted to more than RM24 billion, up by 45.9 per cent from the RM16.4 billion for the corresponding period last year.

He said the number of tourist arrivals also rose, with 15.6 million tourists arriving on Malaysian shores in the first nine months, an impressive jump of 21.3 per cent from the corresponding period last year.

"These numbers are indeed most heartening, as it shows that our efforts to position Malaysia as a major tourist destination have paid off.

"While we are happy with the number of tourists descending on Malaysia, we also want, as much as possible, to get a bigger slice of the upmarket segment of the global tourism market.

"Large number of tourists is good but big spenders are much better," he said at the opening of the Langkawi International Fashion Zone at the Oriental Village here.

Najib said Malaysia was lucky as the foreign exchange rates made Malaysia extremely affordable to tourists.

He said the one thing Malaysia had failed to do was to attract the "ultra-rich", who still preferred traditional playgrounds of the rich, such as Nice, Sardinia, Monte Carlo and the Caribbean islands.

"In fact, Malaysia boasts many, if not all, of the attractions of the high-end destinations I just mentioned. In terms of variety alone, we are unparalleled in every sense, having within our shores a multifaceted cultural milieu, a magnificent natural heritage and a bewildering range of gastronomic delights, among other things.

"Yet, there is clearly something missing, or something we have not put across correctly, that has impeded our rise to the next level as a tourist destination."

Najib said the Langkawi IFZ was a good step towards branding Malaysia as a lifestyle destination for the rich and famous.

He said in today's borderless world, if a particular brand was coveted in the West, it was also appreciated in the East.

"Hence, global brands like Channel, Gucci, Ferragamo, Zegna, Prada and Versace, to name a few, have become a craze for those who can afford their products. Malaysians, too, have taken to these luxury products with great zest and enthusiasm.

"It is, therefore, timely and appropriate that the Tourism Ministry, through its subsidiary Pempena, has ventured into the establishment of this IFZ here in Langkawi, to create a one-stop haven of high-end luxury brands.

"This, of course, dovetails perfectly with our efforts to position Langkawi as a complete holiday destination; an island where you can enjoy the wonders of nature like lush forests and sun-drenched beaches, and at the same time, indulge yourself in lifestyle activities like shopping and fine dining."

The Langkawi IFZ spans 1,500 square metres and has seven shop lots offering various internationally recognised high-end brands.

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