This is news that I read this morning is about how serious our government in emphasize on protecting environment and balance it with tourism development. I do agree that if government could adopt and implementing green technology as it will benefit not only the environment but also our country as whole. Below is the citation from the news.
“KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia is on the right track in tourism development because of its focus on preserving the natural beauty and environment. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Malaysia had drawn up specific guidelines on the development of the tourism industry without harming the environment.
"We are on the right track (in striking a balance between tourism development and protecting the environment), but we need to stay focused," he said after launching the 2010 World Tourism Conference (WTC) here yesterday.
Malaysia was mindful that tourists were increasingly more discerning and environmentally conscious, he added.
"Tourists may shy away from Malaysia if we compromise on the environment in our push to make tourism a major revenue-earner," Muhyiddin said, noting that Malaysia was ranked the ninth most-travelled destination in the world last year by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
He called on the UNWTO to develop a mechanism on the best practices in green tourism, saying that promotion of the "green" initiative would benefit member countries in terms of development of green technology, conservation of natural resources and minimizing the negative impact on the environment as a result of tourism activities.
"Green technology could potentially be a driver in generating new areas of growth and promoting sustainable development."
Muhyiddin said it was Malaysia's aim to adopt green technology and best practices in sustainable development to resolve adverse environmental issues often attributed to tourist inflows.
He was confident that developing green technologies would not only benefit the economy by attracting foreign investors but also help preserve the natural environment.
Attended by about 500 local and international participants, including tourism ministers from several countries as well as ambassadors and high commissioners, the three-day WTC, which commenced yesterday, is jointly organized by the Tourism Ministry and UNWTO.
Present were Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen and UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai.
The conference aims to uncover the secrets of leading destinations and organizations in the tourism industry, which can be adopted to generate income and accelerate growth in the industry.
It is also an avenue for policy-makers, industry players and stakeholders to share experiences and information on tourism trends and innovation, government initiatives and tourism business success stories.
Taleb said it was appropriate that the conference was held in Malaysia as the nation was one of the world's top 10 destinations with 23.6 million in tourist arrivals last year.
Taleb credited Malaysia for its efforts in protecting and preserving its natural beauty and environment.
"I hope Malaysia could share its success in the tourism industry for other countries to emulate."
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