A scene from the movie Jaws. After 35 years, the film still haunts many Malaysian beachgoers who fear shark attacks,
Malaysia
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Shark attacks are extremely rare in this part of the world, but that’s not stopping Malaysian beachgoers from fearing attacks by the ocean predator – even more so than drowning!
The 2016 Expedia Flip Flop Report – an annual survey of the behaviour and preferences among beachgoers worldwide – revealed that 35% of Malaysian beach-going respondents said they were afraid of shark attacks. This is despite the fact that only three, non-lethal incidents have been reported in Malaysia by Shark Attack Data since 1968.
This is in contrast to the mere 16% who ranked fear of drowning as their top beach-related concern. The reason for this might be pretty clear though, seeing that 51% of Malaysian beachgoers hardly swim in the sea, and instead, prefer to watch others (about 40%).
The ones surveyed also have their say on the kind of tourists they would rather do without while enjoying some sun and waves. Some 56% of respondents voted against The Slob, the culprit who leaves garbage on the beach behind them.
If you don’t spin the deck or have not dated Taylor Swift like Calvin Harris here, please do not annoy other beachgoers with your loud music. Photo: CC-BY-SA/Wikimedia Commons/Carlos Delgado
Other individuals they baulk at during a beach vacation are the Loud Mouth (the vacationer who talks so loudly that you can’t help but listen to their conversations), the Paparazzi (the one who photographs strangers) and the DJ (the one who plays music too loudly).
When asked about some of the key amenities their beach lodging should have, a resounding 63% voted for WiFi and Internet browsing, with 38% saying they needed Internet access to share snippets of their experience on social media.
