Tourists hail Malaysia's hospitality, highlight areas for improvement [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign tourists visiting Malaysia have described the country as warm and welcoming, while also offering suggestions on areas that could be improved.

Taibi Selma, 30, from Algeria, said she had been planning to visit Malaysia for years, and her trip fulfilled a long-held dream. She added that she wished she could spend more time in the country.

“We spent three days in Langkawi and a few days in Kuala Lumpur. It was stunning. The places are wonderful and there are so many destinations to visit.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t see everything because of time constraints. I think tourists need at least 15 days to visit major museums and famous sites in Malaysia,” she said.

Selma said being in Malaysia felt like being at home, describing Malaysians as friendly, humble and welcoming.

She added that Malaysia was partly chosen because it was her father’s childhood dream to visit the country, which he viewed as highly developed with a wide range of attractions, from urban areas to natural sites.

“He loves rainforests, and another advantage for us is that we don’t need a visa. It’s very easy to travel here — just buy a flight ticket,” she said.

Meanwhile, Danait Senay from the United States described Malaysia as efficient, citing a smooth airport experience.

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“Everything goes smoothly at the airport, and it is very quick too. It took just five minutes to go through immigration. I just had to scan my passport. And I was also very surprised that most places in Malaysia are cashless. Most accept card payments or Apple Pay,” she said.

For 18-year-old Marsya Nabilla Putri Gading Daulay from Indonesia, Malaysia is a familiar destination. This is her third visit with her family, while her parents have visited the country many times.

“I actually love using the MRT because in my city, MRT services are very limited. In my area, Pekanbaru Riau, there is no MRT at all, so using it here has been one of my best experiences.

Maybe because my country is not as developed as Malaysia. I don’t see much that needs improvement. Offering more discounts at tourist attractions would be good,” she said, adding that she had visited Johor a day earlier and would be heading to Melaka tomorrow.

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Meanwhile, Claudia Packa from Spain, who plans to visit Cameron Highlands and George Town in the coming days, said she and her partner had observed litter in certain parts of Kuala Lumpur.

“This problem exists in other countries as well, in Berlin, Bali and many other places,” she said, adding that she hopes to see less trash at their upcoming destinations in Malaysia.

Another visitor from Germany, who wished to be known only as Tom, said Malaysia’s public transport system was less convenient compared to Singapore, which he had visited previously.

“It’s a bit more complicated in Malaysia in terms of buying tickets. Malaysians probably have cards specifically for commuting, but I have to buy tokens. For the LRT, it’s different from the MRT, so I need a different one.

I think payments could be simplified and made more convenient for the average user. Compared to Singapore, which is probably the best, you just use your credit card or any card, and the fare is deducted automatically when you leave a station,” he said.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

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