The spending showed a year-on-year increase of 6.3percent, in which the retail sector accounted for 30.2 percent against30.7 percent in the previous year.
Addressing an inauguralceremony of the Encrop Strand Mall in Kota Damansara, Selangor, on May28, the Deputy PM emphasised the important role of the retail sector,describing it as the second hard currency contributor to Malaysiantourism, behind the hotel and accommodation business sector.
Malaysia’s tourism rose 8 percent to 65.4 billion ringgits (20.3 billion USD ) in revenue last year.
KualaLumpur was rated by CNN’s tourism channel as the fourth most popularplace in the world for shopping in both 2012 and 2013, after New York,Tokyo and London.-VNA