Is the Visit Malaysia Year campaign doing well? I returned from Phuket yesterday from a short break and as I stood in line to get my passport processed, I noticed that the swarms of people waiting to officially enter Malaysian soil were Malaysians back from the sun-kissed island of Phuket. Of the two hundred-odd passengers, a handful were foreigners lining up at the foreign passport queue. So what happened to Visit Malaysia Year 2007, that annoying battle cry of the government all this year? Where are the throngs of foreigners pushing desperately into Malaysia for leisure? Sure, we have the other sort, the type that takes a night boat from Sumatra, aided by syndicates, to forage for any work in small Malaysian towns and cities. But we Malaysians want well-heeled visitors, willing to contribute to the economy. Are we getting that type of visitors in big numbers when these big spenders can get excellent service (something Malaysians are not renowned for) and appealing cultural experiences in Thailand and Bali?

By the small line of foreigners from Phuket waiting for their passposrts to be stamped at the LCCT airport, I am even more convinced that VMY2007 has not paid dividends. And why are so many Malaysians willing to spend their money overseas and not take a local holiday? Another reason to suspect this is the Tourism Minister's decision to extend VMY 2007 to another year. Surely, things are not panning out well for the Minister and his grand plans?  ¶ 10:42 AM