The tourism industry of Malaysia is set to capitalise on this year's 35th anniversary of Sino-Malaysian relations as well as the ethnic ties between the peoples of both countries to meet its target of drawing 1 million Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian nation, according to local media.

"We will launch attractive tour packages which encourage Chinese tour operators to bring newly-wed couples, diplomatic personnel, intellectuals and professionals to Malaysia," Malaysian Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen was quoted by Malaysia’s Bernama news agency as saying.

Speaking last weekend at a meeting in Beijing with Tourism Malaysia officers based in China during her current five-day visit, she noted tourists visiting under these packages would enjoy gifts and additional services on top of attractive discounts.

“Former Chinese ambassadors to Malaysia will be engaged to give talks and hold seminars at universities here to relate their rewarding experiences in Malaysia so as to attract fellow diplomatic personnel, intellectuals and professionals to visit," she said.

The Malaysian Minister said the Chinese websites of Malaysia Tourism would carry stories and photographs of rich and successful Chinese Malaysians to arouse the interest of the Chinese here to visit and to learn more about the evolution of Chinese Malaysians.

Also, the tourism industry will introduce special tour packages for Chinese senior citizens and parents of Chinese students overseas.

Malaysia welcomed about 784,000 tourists from China in 2007 and nearly 950,000 in 2008.

The Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board has set a target of one million Chinese tourists for this year alone./.