High MAS fares may put off European tourists

AMSTERDAM: Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) expensive fares may deter European tourists from travelling to Malaysia during Visit Malaysia Year 2007 (VMY 2007).

“They (European tourists) are saying that if we don’t do something about MAS fares, tourist arrivals from Europe particularly the United Kingdom will drop by 50% next year,” said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

“Tour operators and agents in the UK, Ireland and Holland said MAS must lower its fares to Europe and allow early bookings to encourage more Europeans to visit Malaysia,” he told Malaysian reporters here Friday.

Tengku Adnan said that he would ask the Transport Ministry to hold immediate discussions with MAS to lower its fares in Europe.
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