Malaysia shopping maps launched

Tourism Malaysia has launched the Malaysia Shopping Maps to help shoppers get around major shopping hubs in the country.

Tourism Malaysia's deputy director-general (Strategic and Domestic) Chong Yoke Har said four separate maps, each covering Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya, Penang/Johor/Malacca, Sabah and Sarawak had a high potential of attracting both foreign and local shoppers.

"They will guide tourists to where Malaysia's major shopping precincts are located. Besides listing out the major shopping malls, these maps also suggest to them places of interest to visit," she told reporters after the launch of the Malaysia Shopping Maps and 1Malaysia Year-End Sale 2015 (1MYES) here Thursday.

Chong said in the first half of 2015, the total amount spent by tourists on shopping had overtaken the sum spent on accommodation.

"Out of the total tourist receipts of RM33.8 billion recorded during the first half year of this year, shopping constituted the biggest share at 29.6 percent or RM10 billion.

"Our target for 2015 is about RM22.7 billion, or RM1,016 per tourist. As of June this year, we had met about 50 percent of our target and we are confident we will achieve the target."

She said the growth was attributed to the many shopping promotion campaigns initiated by the government through Tourism Malaysia to promote shopping as part of tourists' itinerary.

Chong also said for the past two years, shopping held the second biggest share of tourist expenditure (after accommodation).

"Tourist receipts for 2014 amounted to RM72 billion, an increase of 10 percent compared to RM65.4 billion in 2013. Out of this amount, tourists spent RM21.6 billion or 30 percent on shopping in Malaysia, an increase of 9.3 percent compared to RM19.8 billion in 2013," she said.

Chong said another useful information on the shopping maps was Malaysia's Tourists Refund Scheme (TRS), with a step-by-step guide on how foreign tourists could claim for the six percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on at least RM300 spent on shopping inclusive of GST in a single invoice or receipt.