Malaysia is recognized as an emerging economic powerhouse in ASEAN. How much of that economic strength comes from tourism?
According to the Tourism Satellite Account 2015 report prepared by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the contribution of tourism direct gross domestic product to our gross domestic product is 6 percent.

How does tourism rank in terms of its contribution to the Malaysian economy?
In terms of gross national income ranking for 2015, tourism is at third, ranking behind the oil, gas, and energy sector (ranked 1st) and wholesale and retail (ranked 2nd).

Malaysia enjoys the most number of tourists among its ASEAN neighbors. What is the secret behind the country's tourism success?
We believe it is a combination of factors that work together, like political stability, economic stability, a favorable currency exchange rate, diversity in our tourism offerings and attractions, good connectivity, amazing support from our partners all around the world, and strong marketing and promotion efforts.

Tell us a bit about your career in the tourism industry. What paths did you take to get to the Philippine branch of Tourism Malaysia?
I have been working in Tourism Malaysia since 2000 until now. For the past 16 years, I have been in various departments in Tourism Malaysia. In 2013, Tourism Malaysia top management saw my ability and capability in expanding my work path, and has assigned me to be in Tourism Malaysia's Philippine branch.

Is there any dominant idea behind the programs of Tourism Malaysia? A vision perhaps?
Tourism Malaysia’s vision is to make the tourism industry a primary source of national revenue and a major contributor to the socio-economic development of a nation, with a mission to market Malaysia as a destination of excellence in the region. Eventually Malaysia hopes to achieve 36 million tourist arrivals contributing to RM168 billion in tourist receipts by the year 2020.

How is this vision achieved in your programs?
Under Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme, tourism has been identified as a key growth industry for the economy, with focus given to developing tourism in the areas of affordable luxury, ecotourism, family-friendly destination, business tourism and events, entertainment and sports. These are the areas that the government and ministry is developing in order to grow the tourism sector. For instance, to promote shopping, brand name outlet malls have cropped up in recent years (Design Village in Penang, Mitsui Outlet Park in Sepang and Freeport A Famosa in Melaka). Family-friendly destinations have been developed through the establishment of Malaysia Animation Park Studios, Legoland and the upcoming 20th Century Fox theme park.

What are some of the major destinations that Malaysia is famous for?
Malaysia has a diversity of tourism offerings, so there really is something for everyone whether you are into nature, adventure, shopping, city life, theme parks, culture, etc. From our research, the most frequently visited states are Kuala Lumpur (being the gateway into Malaysia), Penang and Melaka (for their rich culture, heritage and delicious foods). Genting Highlands is also popular as a city of entertainment (theme parks and gaming), while Sabah and Sarawak have always been a favourite destination to experience nature and culture.

If you had to choose the top four draws in Malaysia for tourists, what would these be?
The top 4 most popular attractions to the Filipinos are: (1) Kuala Lumpur as Filipinos love shopping and it has a lot of beautiful malls from designer boutiques like The Pavillion to street hawkers like those in Petaling Street; (2) Johor, where the main attractions are Lego Land, Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, Angry Birds Activity Park and Johor Premium outlet; (3) Melaka which is rich with historical and cultural landmarks like A Famosa, and; (4) Penang Island, a modern beach travel haven with hotels like Hard Rock Hotel.

Is there any other genre or type of tourism that is also popular like mountain forest or sporting activities?
Based on a “Departing Visitors Survey” conducted by Tourism Malaysia, shopping, health and wellness, and MICE (meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition) are among the popular niche segment for tourists visiting Malaysia. Sports has always been close to our heart, and yearly we have world-standard events like Le Tour De Langkawi, Penang Bridge Run and Iron Man. Eco-tourism come with the likes of Taman Negara Malaysia, Gunung Kinabalu and our beautiful islands. World class stadiums and theaters allow us to hold numerous concerts and plays

Are there specific areas of focus of Tourism Malaysia this year?
As for 2017, it is the Visit Years for Perak, Pahang and Terengganu with focus on the three states’ rich culture, heritage, events, cuisine, among others. It is also the 50th year anniversary of the founding of ASEAN, and Malaysia together with other ASEAN nations are celebrating and promoting “Visit ASEAN Year” to encourage intra-ASEAN and inter-regional travel to ASEAN through multiple-destinations in the region.

Lets talk more about your personal background at this point. Do you have family?
Yes, my family are here with me in the Philippines. There are six of us in the family. We have three sons and a daughter. My eldest is very focused in his future and his interest is in theater and chemistry. My second boy just loves to tease others but he's a very helpful child. My third boy is the most loving boy among the three, maybe the gap of eight years to my girl made it difficult to shake off the youngest-in-the-family behavior. My “little Pinay” just celebrated her birthday last February 2, and she's very close to me, maybe since I am the only other girl in the house, I'm the only one who can play dolls with her.

How do you relax or spend family time?
Relaxation time, or some call it de-stress time, for me is just like with other ladies Shopping is the best relaxation time. As a family, we try to spend much time together at a park, dining or catching a movie. If time permits, we take a short trip out of Manila to enjoy the beautiful beaches. I do have outings with my girlfriends as we call it picnic time, when we eat and exchange chismis. For time alone, usually I jog nearby, do yoga, word puzzles, or just sit on the mat, praying. I try to take up some leisure readings.