The appreciation of the ringgit against the US dollar will not deter tourists from spending in Malaysia as there are an abundance of attractively priced duty-free goods and services worth buying, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
She said in other countries which are also experiencing strong currency rates like Australia, they are still enjoying a good spending pattern.
"In 2010, Australians were the highest spenders using MasterCard for shopping, followed by countries like Singapore, Indonesia, United States of America and the United Kingdom," she told reporters after opening the Chistofle Haute Orfevre exhibition here, Wednesday.
The ringgit continued its upward momentum today against the greenback to close at 2.97.
The stronger ringgit was in line with Asian currencies continuing speculation that the central banks in the region would raise interest rates to ease inflation.
Ng said the shopping revenue for Malaysia was about RM16.2 billion in receipt last year, a 7.3 percent increase compared with RM15.1 billion in 2009.
Commenting on Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Malaysia, Ng said it would strengthen bilateral investments and tourism between both countries.
"It is very significant to reflect the close relationship between China and Malaysia. I believe from here, bilateral investments and tourism will definitely grow," she said.
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