Introduction According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (2009), the tourism industry has managed to generate a gross income of U.S. $ 3.5 trillion which is expected to increase to U.S. $ 7.0 trillion by 2011. With the estimation of one billion tourists will be travelling around the world by the year 2010, the tourism industry is becoming a key driver of socioeconomic progress, thus contributing to the economic growth of developing countries including Malaysia. In Malaysia, tourism is the second largest industry after the manufacturing sector that contributes to economic growth. In 2008, records showed that a total of 22.5 million tourists came to travel in the country, generating a national income of RM49.6 billion (Ministry of Tourism, 2009).