Tourist arrivals up 4.4p.c.

Despite the outbreak of Influenza A(H1N1) and the global economy downturn, tourist arrivals to Malaysia went up 4.4% in the first eight months of this year compared with 2008, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

From January to August, the number of tourists who visited Malaysia increased to 14.73 million from 15.38 million in the same period last year.

In the month of August alone, tourist arrivals rose by 10.4% to 2.03 million from 1.84 million last year.