National Sports Day, a catalyst for sport tourism - Mas Ermieyati

The National Sports Day, to be celebrated for the first time this Saturday, is capable of becoming a catalyst to woo more tourists to the country through sporting events or activities, said Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

She said the National Sports Day is expected to 'yield' more sports events that could attract more tourists to come to Malaysia.

"If we together nurture the positive spirit for sports, I am convinced that more people will join sports activities, not only the locals, but also foreign tourists," she told reporters here today.

She told this to reporters after the presentation of aid to 99 Village Development and Security Committee leaders from the Masjid Tanah and Alor Gajah parliamentary constituencies in conjunction with the National Sports Day at the Alor Gajah Rakan Muda Complex here.

National Sports Day will be celebrated on the second Saturday of October every year beginning this year to enhance public awareness on the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and to make Malaysia a sports oriented country.