Gunabalan interpretation on Studies done by Mariana-Syakir’s
tourism opportunities through local economic benefits dimensions:
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Different
needs and demands from the tourism industry have transformed Melaka as a
competitive tourism destination among tourism players. In the last 18 years
growth within the Tourism industry players have created a sustainable Tourism
industry but looking forward, new data suggest new ways to interpret the new
data of tourist arrivals.
Business owners in Melaka needs to understand who the heavy
spenders are and which sector spent the most among tourists, hence formulate as
part of potential strategies for a higher profits. High record of tourist’s
number does not mean that local community would actually benefit from the
tourism development, unless Data in interpreted correctly.
Studies have been done to identify and assess Melaka’s
position as an affordable tourist destination and how tourism contributed to
the local population positively & help promote the sustenance of and
directly benefit local economic well-being.
These days, for the Indian
community here in Melaka, the increase of modern tourism attractions and
products and decline of traditional tourism industries has led to the local
communities to explore alternative ways to strengthen their economic status.
This allows the local community to involve in other
employment sectors especially manufacturing , Logistics, transportation,and
small time construction but not many have utilize the local resources (including
capital) for tourism purpose.
The preliminary findings suggested that tourists spent 64.7% of their expenditure for
transportation and only 1.4% for
shopping. On average, it was also found that actual expenditure was rated
at RM172 against the budgeted amount
of RM306 per day.
34.3% of tourists spending were channelled to the local
community. (through attraction like Trishaw riding and local taxis)
The majority of the respondents for the statistical data
collected were male (68.3%), in their 21-30 range of age (44%). 28.8% of local
tourists are single while 23% of international tourists are married. Both
domestic and international are private employee (47.4%) with qualification of
bachelor degree (55.4%).
This profile pattern indicates clearly that the young single
profession is the highest potential market in Melaka. (But
looking at the offerings available, many tourism establishments are catering
towards Family oriented Tourism for all tourism projects. The only current
market catering for these arrivals of single, young tourists appear to be the
Jonkers’ street budget accommodation’s and entertainment outlets. Apart from
the budget caterers, the other markets do not seem centred on these demographic
arrivals except in certain (but not all) Niche Shopping Brands i.e H&M and
ELLE ).
Thus, the provision of tourism activities as well as basic
facilities such as accommodation and entertainment in Melaka needs to be
concentrated in such market.
Table 2. Tourist expenditure pattern in Melaka Tourism
Sector
Total Expenditure
(RM) Percentage (%)
Accommodation RM 307
859.50 64.7%
Food and beverages RM 111 393.40 23.4%
Transportation RM 6 995.40 1.5%
Entertainment (Cultural & recreational) RM 9 900.50 2.0%
Shopping
RM 39 954.90 8.4%
Total RM 476 103.70 100%
The traveling profile above highlights the domestic tourist
are travelling individually (27.3%), while the international tourist are more
likely traveling with partner (20.1% ). There also appears to be a high number of
single women travellers. This is a speciality market that is not currently targeted.
The good news is : 52.2 % of domestic and 41.7% of
international tourists suggest will come back to Melaka as Melaka provides a
wide range of tourism activities and products hence it delivers a high
satisfaction to the visitors.
Majority of
respondents visited Melaka for holiday.
The respondents were domestic (45.5%) and international (37.4%). 44.4% of domestic tourists to Melaka are not
first-time visitors, while 36.9% of international tourists are first-time
visitors.
The study has identified health treatment for purpose of
visiting Melaka among international tourist, as a new finding and new segment
of potential market. PANTAI HOSPITAL’s 2016 expansion in Melaka is one good example.
Oriental Melaka Hospital in Klebang is
another. This is good market for Indians to be involved in downstream activity
of supplying related retail and import of medicine and medical products and for
medical sewage treatment)
(Forward into the future, on how to attract people into the city centre
and to fill up all the empty shop lots, Melaka improvements in terms of
creating viable Business Capacity suggestions include creating
A new Development Zone
for Malacca for FDI to be pumped in,
Increasing capacity
for making Melaka an international medical, shopping & education hub,
Capital investments in
Entertainment outlets for attracting more youth’s expenditure
and most importantly
to increase the critical mass in the city centre through creating of New
Central Business District).
(Malacca will need to be more industrialized on a larger scale. Increasing
Manufacturing FDI & capacity locally will help overcome the lack of
availability and spending in MICE activities currently within our local Hotels
and Hospitality Trade and also in creating more jobs locally)
The short term effect will be by creating more SMI &SME activity
that will be downstream support activity to these Larger Factories. It needs to
be explored and widely promoted by the state government.
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