SINGAPORE: Johor with its vast natural richness can be used as part of the syllabus in schools and universities in Singapore, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

She said through eco-tourism programmes, students could learn more by travelling to fruit farms, (rubber and oil palm) estates and forests in Malaysia.

"Why travel to faraway places when Johor is just next door?

"Singapore with its rapid development lacks forests and estates.

"And, through a special package, they can even incorporate such trips as part of their syllabus," Azalina said after paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.

Azalina was in Singapore to launch the Zoom Malaysia advertising campaign.

She said Lee was receptive to the idea and suggested that it be expanded to other Asean countries.

She said the matter (package for Asean students) would be discussed at the Asean Tourism Ministers meeting in Hanoi between Jan 8 and 10.

Azalina added that her ministry was banking on domestic tourism to cushion the impact of the world economic slowdown and had classified Singapore as a domestic market due to the repeat visitors.

On the RM15mil campaign, she said it was to keep Singaporeans informed on what was happening in Malaysia, apart from highlighting the new and interesting attractions in the country. -The Star/Asia News Network