By Manik Mehta

BERLIN, March 11 (NNN-BERNAMA) -- This year's Berlin Tourism Fair, one of the world's most event for the industry, opened here Tuesday with a large Malaysian delegation headed by Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general Azizan Noordin aggressively courting tourists.

The delegation comprised representatives of 25 travel and tour operating agents, 25 hotels, four states -- Terengganu, Penang, Kedah and Sabah -- and flag carrier Malaysia Airlines and its regional subsidiary FireFly.

Azizan said Malaysia was eyeing the European tourism market because it held promise of providing business for Malaysia. Overall, Europe accounted for some 5.1 per cent growth in traffic to Malaysia in 2009 over 2008.

"We would like to further enhance our promotion efforts in the European market which posted good growth last year. Germany alone accounted for a 15 per cent growth with 128,228 tourists last year," Azizan said in an interview with Bernama at the Berlin exhibition hall.

Malaysia's huge pavilion consists of a large space filled with individual areas for each of the exhibitors to receive potential customers and discuss business in private. The pavilion replicates Malaysia's landscape, depicting its natural setting as well as its contemporary landmarks.

Since Exhibition Hall 26, where Malaysia and other member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) have their pavilions, is bursting at the seams, Malaysia's pavilion has been expanded vertically -- it has an added upper storey where the staff of Tourism Malaysia can receive important visitors.

Malaysia is given good chances of attracting visitors from Europe, many of whom love its sandy beaches, flora and fauna, the night life in big cities such as Kuala Lumpur, culture and cuisine and the general warmth and hospitality of the people.

"Malaysia is an exciting place to visit even though some German news media have been incessantly highlighting some negative developments taking place in that country such as the recent caning of the three Muslim women who allegedly violated the Islamic laws," said Reinhard Berger, a Bavarian businessman who regularly visits Asian countries and claims to be "madly in love" with the fauna and flora of the island Borneo, which is shared by Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Nevertheless, Malaysia has also benefited from a number of developments taking place in its neighbourhood, such as the Jakarta bombings and the Thai political upheavals, prompting many tourists to turn to Malaysia to spend part of their Asian vacation.

Like other South East Asian nations, Malaysia's attractiveness is greatly enhanced if it is offered as one of two destinations, the other being either Thailand, Singapore or Indonesia.

However, Azizan said Malaysia was now graduating to the next level of tourism, where it was also interested in promoting luxury tours, cruise tourism, Malaysia My Second Home tourism, contemporary arts tourism."

With an eye on promoting contemporary arts, Malaysia is also hosting a gala evening on March 12, where Malaysian woman conductor Ooi Chean-see will conduct a show which blends classical with ethnic Malaysian elements. -- NNN-BERNAMA