KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh today said that the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil has been fully booked for concerts until the end of next year.

Yeoh said that concert operators are interested in bringing a diverse range of international artists to Malaysia, highlighting the country’s unique appeal and large market for performers worldwide.

"I have engaged with 16 concert operator companies, and they have expressed interest in bringing in many artists. Malaysia has this unique quality; even if we can’t get Taylor Swift, we have a diverse community here with artists from Hong Kong, China, Hindustan, Tamil artists, Indonesia, local artists, Korea, Japan, Europe, the UK, the US — there’s a wide variety because of the large market here,” she said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

"For everyone’s information, I am pleased to announce that bookings for Axiata Arena are fully booked through the end of next year,” she added.

Yeoh was responding to Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong, who asked regarding the ministry’s efforts to increase national revenue through organising more concerts during the Minister’s question time.

Meanwhile, the Segambut MP said that the national hockey stadium has received 26 bookings for concert purposes next year.

She also said that as of October this year, non-sports event revenue is four times higher than that of sporting events.

"For this year alone, up to October, RM2.147 million in venue rental revenue has been recorded from 26 sports events held at Kuala Lumpur Sports City. Meanwhile, during the same period, 54 non-sporting events were held, generating RM8.5 million in venue rental revenue — four times more.

"The total of RM10.64 million in revenue this year is the highest ever recorded by KLSC,” she said.