Changes in the lifestyle of many Malaysian citizens have led to changes in attitudes towards tourism, which have influenced their habits within the world of travel.
1999 was a significant year in Malaysian history as it introduced the 5-day working week. This has meant that Malaysians, due to a number of ensuing circumstances, are likely to travel more, both internally and internationally, and recent figures have shown this trend to be in full swing. For example, Malaysia has a new average of 75.9 million day-tripping locals, which far exceeds previous records.
The aim for this year is to bring 24 million tourists to Malaysia, which would be a slight decrease on 2010. However, the decrease would not be a disaster as floods, economic disasters and other natural nuisances have led to complications in Malaysian tourism and to complications in working together with other nations to overcome stumbling blocks. For example, discussions about flights to and from Russia had to be put on hold due to the unforeseen circumstances.
The obvious target for the Malaysian tourist board is nearby China. If the Chinese start coming to Malaysia as they have started to go to other countries then the target figure of 24 million may well rise.
In order to welcome foreigners more and introduce them to Malaysian culture, the Cuti Cuti 1 Malaysia dance carnival was introduced in 2009. The aim of the carnival was to create an unforgettable experience to fully lodge Malaysia into foreign minds in the hope the experience would lead to them coming back.