The tsunami and earthquakes in Indonesia, the military coup in Thailand, the violence in the Philippines and other calamities that occasionally plague Southeast Asia may have created a negative image of the entire region in the eyes of European tourists who get the impression that the region is infested with problems and should be avoided.

However, such problems seem to have little or no impact as far as German tourism traffic to Malaysia is concerned, as the rising number of tourists from Germany to Malaysia suggests.

The present ubiquitous signs interpreted by German tourism and travel industry indicate that tourism traffic will further grow in 2007, with the Malaysian Government declaring this year as Visit Malaysia Year (VMY).

German tourist traffic to Malaysia has brought cheer to the tourism planners.

After clocking 59,344 German arrivals in 2005, the number of erman tourists arriving in Malaysia last year is estimated to be in the region of 65,000.

Exact figures for 2006 are not available as of today (Jan 18) but Sharifah Loon Syed Danial, director of the Frankfurt office of Tourism Malaysia, estimates that a 10 per cent growth in 2006 over the previous year is "very likely".

"There is a steady stream of German tourists who are showing a sustained interest in visiting Malaysia ...these are repeat visitors who also spread the good word about Malaysia among friends, colleagues and relatives," she maintained in an interview with Bernama in her Frankfurt office.

To keep up this momentum, Tourism Malaysia's Frankfurt office will be launching an E-Learning programme for travel agents in Germany and Austria under the VMY 2007 to give them first-hand information about Malaysia and sensitise them with regard to Malaysia's characteristics as a destination, she said.

It is by no means an easy task trying to popularise Malaysia as an attractive destination to a constituency of tourists in a country which is, traditionally, inward-looking and has not been able to see beyond the traditional destinations in Europe.

However, of all the Europeans, the Germans are the most adventurous and heavy spenders on tourism.

Germans have often received accolades from a number of countries whose tourist attractions have drawn them like a "magnet" and made them spend generously on tourism.

Indeed, Germans have claimed for a number of years the title of world champions in spending on foreign tourism.

It is not surprising, therefore, that many countries of the world, locked in fierce competition with each other, make a beeline each year to profile their attractions at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) show in Berlin.

Malaysia will use the VMY '07 to mount a mammoth presentation that will highlight every aspect of tourism to Malaysia at the world biggest tourism show in Berlin, the ITB, from March 7 to 11.

The ITB is rated as the world's largest and most important event for travel and tourism industry.

Indeed, the entire world competes here for a slice of the lucrative German tourist market.

Malaysia has been a regular participant at this show since decades.

A large delegation comprising 17 tour operators and travel agents, 26 hotel representatives and six high-ranking officials representing the state governments of Selangor, Kelantan, Penang, Kedah and Terranganu, is expected to attend the ITB 2007.

Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Tourism Malaysia Director-General, will be attending the show with a delegation from his agency.

It is possible that either the tourism minister himself or his deputy may head the Malaysian delegation.

"Our participation this year will be under our VMY '07 motto. This will have a special significance not only for Malaysian participants but also for German and other European tour operators.

"We will make a strong pitch at the ITB 2007 for Malaysia as a safe, attractive and modern destination offering every comfort coupled with its beautiful natural attributes of sun, beaches and cultural and lingual diversity," explained Sharifah Loon who, as many Malaysians and Germans agree, has been working hard to promote Malaysia despite the odds she faces in a saturated market.

Sharifah Loon looks after a wide jurisdiction that includes 10 countries. She has been entrusted with promoting tourism in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) and Poland. She said Tourism Malaysia will soon be appointing a marketing agency in the Netherlands.

"Of course, they will be helping me out on the ground and I will oversee their work," she said.

Nonetheless, Sharifah Loon says more and more leisure tourists and organisations are now looking at Malaysia.

Der Tour Reiseakademie, for example, will be holding its annual meeting in Malaysia between end of November and early December this year in Kuala Lumpur, drawing a group of 350 tour agents.

"There will be, in all, two groups visiting Malaysia. This is going to enhance Malaysia's attributes as an attractive venue with modern infrastructures for such events in the future.

"Tourism Malaysia Frankfurt office is working to launch a tactical campaign which will be price-driven. We will publicise attractive offers for visits to Malaysia in collaboration with Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

"However, there is need to profile Malaysia in the local market. The recent flooding in Johor may have produced frightening images of the destruction caused to life and property in the state, as depicted by German and European television, but we are putting things in perspective.

"We are educating our agents by organising roadshows. There is also this wrong impression sometimes that a natural calamity some where in Asia may have also affected Malaysia.

"People are not aware that Malaysia is far away from catastrophes taking place in some other parts of Asia. Our job is to explain this to the people," she said.

German and other European journalists have been calling Malaysia's missions and, also, tourism offices abroad to find about the extent of damage caused by the flooding in Johor.