Perception and attitude of Middle East tourists towards travel in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

International tourism has become one of the largest and most vital economic sectors of the global economy driving huge flows of people, commodities, and capital. Tourism has been and continues to be an important foreign exchange earner to many countries in South East Asia and Malaysia is no exception. This study was undertaken to identify factors that are central to tourists from the Middle East when choosing Malaysia as a vacation destination. The study used factor analysis as an appropriate way to identify underlying motivations factors. And also evaluate perception of Middle East Tourists before coming to Malaysia and after visiting Malaysia. The findings of the research reveal that push and pull factors were more important than other factors among Middle East tourists. For instance, ‘Novelty and Prestige’ ranked highest among the push factors and also the pull factors, ‘Natural, Historical and Environment’. The purpose of this thesis is to provide fact and figures based on the opinion of Middle East tourists who visited Malaysia. This study used the survey research for obtaining data randomly from 64 outbound Middle East tourists coming and leaving Kuala Lumpur, International airport (KLIA), selected Iranian and Arabian Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. And also to identify factors for visiting Malaysia, image of Malaysia as a tourism destination. From the results, for most of the Middle East tourists, hospitality, safety and security is extremely important for choosing Malaysia as a foreign country for long-haul travel. Malaysia is at the top of the list of top five countries for long-haul travel, followed by natural environment.