If people could stay longer, they would be encouraged to see more. And it would benefit the local economy if tourists spend money here," she said. The Culture and Tourism Ministry targets to net 7 million international tourists in 2010, up from 6.4 million last year.This target is much smaller than the number of tourists in neighboring Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, which last year attracted 10 million, 15 million and 22 million visitors respectively. In the last 12 years to 2007, tourist numbers fluctuated between 4 million and 5 million. The average length of stay has declined from 10 days in 1997 to barely 8.5 days in 2008.
