KUALA LUMPUR: Innovation within the Malaysian tourism industry will be the key to attracting more tourists to the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin said that the creation of meaningful and high-value tourism-related product was needed.

He added that Malaysia must look into arts and cultural offerings.

“The global traveller today is not looking for destinations, but experiences, and arts-related tourism will enhance our global appeal.

“I believe that Malaysian artists are world-class and that prices of products from the better-known Malaysian modern artists have soared a hundred-fold,” he said at the launch of the inaugural 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism 2010 Festival at the Galeria Seri Perdana here yesterday.

Muhyiddin, who is chairman of the Cabinet committee on tourism, said the festival was in line with the Government’s target to promote differentiated strategies to cater for unique and distinctive travellers, in this case high-yield tourists who can afford the finer things in life.

In her welcoming speech, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said art tourism was emerging as an important tourism product.

She added Malaysia, which is the ninth most-visited country by tourists, is well-positioned as a high-yield art tourism destination.

Dr Ng said the festival would be included in the ministry’s annual calendar, while a contemporary arts auction would be held for the first time next month.