Saturday 30 November 2013

Enjoy Christmas at LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort




Don’t miss the large LEGO DUPLO® Christmas Tree in the beginning area. Have your photo taken on Santa’s reindeer sleigh  - all made from LEGO® bricks!

Learn how to build amazing Christmas ornaments from LEGO bricks and enjoy the festive decoration and other activities throughout the park.




-Legoland Malaysia Resort.

Fashion show that revs it all up

First in South-East Asia: (Form left) Liu Wei, Yang A. Rick (back) Chen Yongxia, Timothy Chen, Yeoh, Choo, Li Xiao Yan and Wang Xinyu posing at the launching of the fashion week.

KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz launched its first business to business (B2B) fashion week in South-East Asia yesterday.
The Mercedes-Benz STYLO Asia Fashion Week, created by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s fashion partner Stylo International, will see an assembly of top designers from 11 Asian countries, fashion retailers and trade buyers on the island of Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur.
The event, themed “Asia for Asia”, runs from tomorrow to Dec 4 and is supported by MyCreative Ventures and IM4U, which are new initiatives under the Malaysian Govern­ment and Langkawi’s tourism development authority, LADA Eco-Tourism.
“It is unlike any other fashion week in the world. A trade fashion event headlined by Asia especially for Asia,” said Datuk Nancy Yeoh, chairman of the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week.
“The Western markets have always been of great importance to the fashion business and will continue to be so but the buying power of Asia has impacted the face of fashion in more ways than one.”
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia president and CEO Roland Folger said in a press statement: “In Asia, the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is present in Tokyo and Beijing and we are certainly very proud to partner Stylo in expanding our reach across South-East Asia with Kuala Lumpur as the regional hub.
“Hosting the grand launch of a fashion week on a beautiful tourism spot like Langkawi island is certainly unique and relevant to Asia and Malaysia at the same time.”
With 29 fashion weeks already spread across all continents bearing its name, this will be the 30th fashion week for the German luxury automaker, the most star-studded one being the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.
Honorary advisers of the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week include Datuk Jimmy Choo and Datuk Seri Farid Redzuan, who is communications adviser to the Prime Minister. For the full programme, go to www.mbstyloafw.com.
-thestar online.

Friday 29 November 2013

Asia’s First LEGOLAND® HOTEL Opens And Welcomes First Guests

Legoland Hotel - Lobby

NUSAJAYA, 29th November 2013 – Asia’s first LEGOLAND® Hotel opened its doors today and welcomed guests from across the region. The opening of the LEGOLAND® Hotel is ahead of schedule and offers 249 uniquely themed bedrooms. The Hotel opening also marks the complete transformation of LEGOLAND into a Resort.

The LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort brings together a Theme Park, Water Park and Hotel in one LEGO® themed location with more than 70 hands-on rides, slides, shows and attractions.


“We are delighted to welcome our first guests to the LEGOLAND Hotel. The opening of the Hotel transforms LEGOLAND from a tourist attraction to a unique holiday destination. With the Resort fully opened, families can stay longer and enjoy all the rides, slides, shows and attractions that LEGOLAND has to offer,” said Siegfried Boerst, General Manager of LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.


The opening is also significant for the highly developing Iskandar region as LEGOLAND has been a key tourism driver ever since the Theme Park opened to public last year.


The LEGOLAND Hotel turns a day the family will always remember into a stay they will never forget. Designed to bring children’s imaginations to life, it boasts brightly coloured LEGO features throughout bedrooms, play areas and restaurants.


An amazing display containing 12,528 LEGO Minifigures welcomes guests as they check-in and the Hotel is full of interactive child-friendly features – from quirky themed elevators, exploding toy boxes, treasure trails, dragons and much more.


Children can play in a 32-foot high pirate shipwreck with a LEGO river, start an adventure by exploring the castle guarded by a LEGO ogre or dance their way up to the bedrooms in the character themed ‘disco’ elevators. There’s also a dedicated play area with more than 1,000 LEGO bricks.


From the spectacular entrance right through to Bricks Family Restaurant, Skyline Bar and Patio Lounge, guests find fun LEGO elements everywhere they look. A true child’s paradise, there are more than five million LEGO bricks to be found throughout the Hotel.

All the bedrooms include a king-size bed for parents, plus a separate sleeping area for up to three children, complete with a bunk bed, pull-out trundle bed and entertainment unit. The themed rooms give guests the choice of playing Pirate, commanding a Kingdom or embarking on an Adventure. To add to the excitement, each room has a treasure chest that children can unlock once
they complete finding clues throughout their room.


There are many entertainment options in the Hotel; from the swimming pool to the interactive LEGO games and activities. Families can enjoy either a buffet style concept restaurant or dine in an à la carte environment at the Bricks Family Restaurant and Gourmet Bricks respectively.


Hotel bookings can be made online at the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort website
http://www.legoland.com.my/en/Hotel/Home/. Basic rates start from RM400++ and depend on room type as well as seasonal demand. Prices are based on a family room for five and include breakfast for the entire family. Hotel guests can also take advantage of an exclusive promotion offering them the opportunity to purchase a two day combo ticket for the price of a one day combo ticket. A combo ticket provides access to both the Theme Park and Water Park and allows unrestricted movement between the two.


The LEGOLAND Hotel is located at the heart of the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.

-Legoland Malaysia.

Top 10 Tourist Arrivals To Malaysia - January~September 2013 (By Nationality)

1. Singapore 9,474,081

2. Indonesia 1,861,891

3. China 1,449,477

4. Brunei 876,028

5. Thailand 847,167

6. India 482,134

7. Philippines 305,144

8. Australia 373,523

9. Japan 371,009

10. United Kingdom 305,144

Total worldwide arrivals 18,756,476 (+3.3%)

-Tourism Malaysia.

Bahayanya Wanita @ Istana Budaya ( 20~31 Disember 2013 )


Teater: Bahayanya Wanita

Tarikh: 20~31 Disember 2013

Masa: 8.30 malam

Tempat: Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur

-www.AirAsiaRedtix.com

Thursday 28 November 2013

Tropical Fruits Of Malaysia


Whether it is our sunny and tropical weather, the pristine beaches along our coastlines, or even the variety of food from different cultures, there is nothing that Malaysia does not have to offer! The fruits mentioned here only grow in tropical climates such as ours, so you may or may not have heard of them - but do be assured that you will come away after reading this article with nothing less than a heightened appreciation and understanding of our country’s delightful fruits.

The durian is widely known as the “King of Fruits”. However, despite its ostentatious title, its appearance is not what captures your attention at the beginning. Ever seen signs in hotels, airports or even public transports that prohibit durians from being carried and consumed in the premises? The reason is because the most prominent feature of this thorny fruit happens to be its smell - some truly cannot stand it while others, after having gotten to taste it, simply adore it. Despite what opinions one might have about the durian, its smell is potent and lingers for hours in places where it has been stored.

If you thought its smell was strong, wait till you have a taste of it! There are those who swear by its taste and those who abhor it. To those who love it, the taste of the durian is unique with a creamy texture and slightly bittersweet taste. Its detractors on the other hand have compared it with every unpleasant thing under the sun, from stinky cheese to rotten onions.

Reactions to the King of Fruits vary wildly from person to person. However, eating it is a rather personal and intense experience that should be tried at least once in a lifetime. Bear in mind however that the durian is a seasonal fruit and that it can usually be found from June to August.

What better way to be introduced to the mangosteen than right after the durian? Known as the “Queen of Fruits”, the mangosteen was purportedly given such a title after Queen Victoria offered 100 pounds sterling to anyone who could deliver the fresh fruit to her. The mangosteen is another seasonal fruit that is usually available around the same time as the durian. For the uninitiated, its taste and smell are a fantastic contrast to that of the durian.

Encased in an inedible pulpy exterior, the edible flesh of the mangosteen is creamy white in contrast to its deep purple shell and its taste is best described as mild yet sweet, with a pleasant astringency. As is befitting of its title, the mangosteen is rich in xanthonoids, a well-known antioxidant, while also being high in vitamin C and B vitamins. The only caveat to this royal fruit lies in its juice that leaves deep purple stains on clothing, so take care when consuming!

The rambutan can lay no such claim to fruit royalty but it has something more interesting going for it. Its appearance can be best described as looking like a hairy lychee. The rambutan takes its name from the Malay word rambut, which means “hair”, and true to its name, is covered with thin and flexible spines. Vibrantly coloured, they are a bright red when ripe and green when young.

Split open the skin of this fuzzy fruit and you will find translucent flesh with an almond-shaped seed (which should not be eaten). A rambutan has a sweet taste with slight sour undertones, and a texture like that of a grape, but gummier. High in vitamin C, rambutans are best savoured fresh from the tree, newly plucked if possible. Like many of its peers, the rambutan is seasonal, and can be found from the months of March to July, with a second season from June to November during a rainy year.

Finally, the very popular langsat is one of Southeast Asia’s more well-kept secrets. It comes in two varieties - the langsat, and the duku. The langsat is known for the extraordinarily long time required from planting to harvest. Its been known to bear fruit only after 25 years!

Resembling large grapes in shape, the langsat colour is light brown, with dark speckles and fine, fuzzy hair on its surface. Split open its skin and you will find translucent flesh that tastes like a cross between a grape and a grapefruit; tangy, sweet and yet sour, with an agreeable bite to its flavour. One can differentiate the langsat and the duku by the thickness of its skin – the duku's is thicker.

If the above fruits have piqued your curiosity, why not visit Malaysia to savour these exotic local fruits? There has never been a better time to explore the fresh fruit delights that we have to offer, and as you can see. As you will realise, after tasting and enjoying Malaysian spicy cuisine, our fruits are easily the perfect desserts for you to relish.
-Tourism Malaysia.

The Wow Summer Splash Beach Festival 2014 ( 11 January 2014 )


Music festivals continue to draw national and international performers and audiences into Malaysia. Not only have music festivals in general found a home in the city, electronic music festivals in particular have begun to take root. With the rise of EDM (electronic dance music), it was inevitable for more genre-specific festivals to rise in Malaysia.
Malaysian craving for an Ibiza like dance party at the beach need not worry no more as come Saturday January 11th 2014  fans of dance music will have non stop fun in the water from 4pm till 12 midnite with THE WOW SUMMER SPLASH BEACH FESTIVAL 2014 at Surf Beach Sunway Lagoon, This momentous event is brought to you by KONG SIN Entertainment. What better way to usher in the Chinese New Year festivities and carry forth 2014 New Year celebrations onto January 11th
It is unprecedented whereby party goers and dance music lovers can experience the Ibiza festival atmosphere in our very own party venue. What is unique is that the party commences as early as 4pm and fans are advised to come in early for the opportunity to experience a dance music festivities that incorporates dance music with fun in the water and at the same time fans will get up close with their favourite DJs. fun whilst splashing in the water. The loud blast of industrial-siren, incessantly pounding sounds of EDM along with periodic refreshing breeze water shots from confetti machines installed on the stage to be "sprayed" to audiences ; awesome lighting effects all designed to heighten theGET WET TO DANCE experience that can only happen at the WOW SUMMER SPLASH BEACH FESTIVAL 2014
As anyone who follows pop music knows, the last 4 years have seen the DJs rise to celebrity status on a tidal wave of dance music that's come to be called EDM (electronic dance music) by the press and fans alike. The pounding sounds of EDM have also been popularized on Top 40 radio with famous singers from the pop and R&B music genre joining its ranks.
The EDM dominance moves forth into 2014 with the headliner for WOW SUMMER SPLASH BEACH FESTIVAL 2014 being EDM legend  Steve Aoki 
Headlining this event will be a face now pretty much a household name in the electro realms of dance music, and totally familiar and well loved by Malaysian electro fans. Grammy nominated US DJ/producer Steve Aoki, as much known for his acrobatic crowd surfing stunts, throwing cake at fans, spraying drinks, and riding rafts on the dance floor, as his music productions, will return to delight his Malaysian fans,Now ranked No. 8 in that DJ Poll of all polls by British club magazine DJ Mag, he’s also been ranked by Forbes as one of the highest paid DJs in the business.
Supporting Steve Aoki will be an impressive array of international reknown DJs such as his constant co-collaborator ANGGER DIMAS from Indonesia. DJ and producer Angger Dimas represents Indonesia’s national music dish with his mash up of chopped beats and pumping synths that are topped off with some Dutch inspired spicy sounds! Angger has constantly been rocking the best parties & clubs throughout Asia, was booked to perform at the world’s biggest festivals Tomorrowland, Belgium and at Insomniac’s Nocturnal Wonderland. 
To round off the first list of DJs participating will be our very own Mr Fluff Malaysia's multi-talented, big  haired music producer, singer-songwriter, musician and renowned club DJ who has travelled to Las Vegas and performed alongside Gym Class Heroes, Erick Morillo, Kanye West, Paul Oakenfold and many more.
The DJs stated are only 3 of the many more star studded international DJs which will be announced in the weeks to come to what promises to be a wet in the water dance fiesta to kick off 2014 festivities with a splash.
For Early Birds tickets are priced at RM 88 for the first 500 purchases in which after that the tickets will be sold at Pre Sale price of RM 118 (for a limited time only) ; Regular Sale @ RM 138 and Door Sale @ RM 158….For VIP Tickets – Early Bird RM 219; Pre Sale RM 249 (Door Sale @ RM 279).
The tickets are inclusive of Sunway Lagoon rides from 4pm  – 7 pm.. The G-Force and Bungy Trampoline will be exclusive for VIP  ticket holders whilst FlowRider is for all ticket categories... The First 200 VIP ticket holders will be able to play G-Force for an unlimited time!
All VIP holders are entitled for FREE entrance to Soju SUNWAY (after 12am) and get up close with your favourite  international DJs until the break of dawn. Limited capacity (800 pax) on a first come first serve basis.
Tickets are available online at www.ticketpro.com.my and all Ticket Pro outlets, Rock Corner and Victoria Music. For more call 03-7880 7999
-www.ticketpro.com.my

Malaysia Airlines Collaborates with INHART to Strengthen Halal Standards


Kelana Jaya, 26 November 2013: Malaysia Airlines (MAS) signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART), a special centre dedicated to Halal industry established by International Islamic University Malaysia. 
Through the understanding, MAS will accept students from INHART for internship at its Halal catering operations while INHART will assist in providing safety and Halal training, consultancy and Shariah compliance training to MAS.
This collaboration is one of Malaysia Airlines' initiatives to formulate, implement and continuously update Malaysia Airlines halal standards.
INHART will be developing relevant training modules for MAS beneficiaries and will conduct training programs in order to ensure compliance to halal requirements by the national carrier's caterers. Malaysia Airlines currently has two modules of halal training in place. With this collaboration the module will be worked at further to enhance the offerings.
Malaysia Airlines values this contribution by INHART as it is constantly trying to improvise the Halal standard on board it's flights. 15 caterers engaged by Malaysia Airlines operate from a 100% halal kitchen and another 29 caterers are currently operating from a partially halal kitchen. In all partial kitchens the production of food is totally separated between halal and non-halal product hence providing Malaysia Airlines with a completely halal plate each time. This is also supported by the constant quality assurance audit conducted by our experienced team from the In Flight Operation QA, Safety & Halal unit under Service & Quality Assurance Department.
Malaysia Airlines, Director of Customer Services, Dato' Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani said, "We hope that with this collaboration there shall be a platform to strengthen existing cooperation and implement activities that are of mutual interests and benefits both MAS and INHART-IIUM. At Malaysia Airlines, we look at this as an opportunity to further enhance the travel experience of our Muslim passengers. Muslim passengers make up a large percentage of our customers and we want to continuously work towards making travel comfortable for them".
Both Malaysia Airlines and INHART believe that this understanding will bring about the enhancement of the MAS Halal Manual & Standard Operating Procedure whilst providing the students of INHART a valuable practical experience.
-Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia to be a shopping haven during VMY 2014

PETALING JAYA: Foreign and local tourists can expect a more exciting shopping experience during Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

Malaysia Shopping Mall Associations president HC Chan said getting foreign retailers to rent mall spaces and bringing in new brands would be among efforts made to draw in more shoppers next year. “We are looking at ways on how to sell our shopping experience more effectively outside of Malaysia,” he said at a press conference at the Council of Centres Conference 2013 Thursday.

Chan said the association, in collaboration with the Tourism and Culture Ministry, were making efforts to draw in more tourists next year by making the shopping experience more exciting. “Our members will be finding more common interests to work on and collaborate with the Ministry,” he said.

Chan said they would be targeting the Asian tourists as they contributed up to 85% of shopping sales here. He also said that they would work with the Ministry to promote 20 to 40 malls where tourists were likely to go for the three annual sales periods, adding that the shopping industry would likely have it good in 2014.

Kuala Lumpur Pavillion Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Joyce Yap said among the new brands that shoppers could look forward to next year would be Hamley’s, MCM, Tory Burch, Liujo and Halston Heritage.

Yap, who is also the Association for Shopping and High Rise Complex Management advisor, said to compete globally for shopping sales, shopping mall management have to enhance sales by making their malls attractive with varied retailers and brands as well as keeping the cost of managing malls low.

Ministry shopping secretariat head Ramzi Abu Yazid said they would work with the industry to get Malaysians who often shop overseas to shop locally instead.

At the event, secretary-general Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng, read out Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's speech, saying shopping constituted 30.7% of tourist receipts totalling RM60.6bil last year. He said it was the second largest expenditure after accommodation, with shopping malls raking in RM18.6bil in revenue in 2012.
-thestar online.

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Dorsett signs on four hotels in Malaysia


Dorsett Hospitality International has entered into four new management contracts with Mayland Group Malaysia and Far East Consortium International, which will inject over 1,000 rooms into its Malaysian inventory. 

Slated to open next year in the first and third quarter respectively are the 319-key Dorsett Cheras, Kuala Lumpur and the 218-key Dorsett Putrajaya.

In 2015, the 317-room Dorsett Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur and 154-room Sri Jati Hotel are targeted to open in the third and fourth quarter respectively. The latter is a boutique hotel in Kuala Lumpur that will come under Dorsett’s d.Collection brand.

Winnie Chiu, president and executive director for Dorsett Hospitality International, said: “With the addition of these four properties, we will have a portfolio of 29 hotels, giving us a room inventory of over 8,500.”

In Malaysia, the group owns, manages and operates five hotels under the Dorsett Grand, Dorsett Regency and Silka brands.
-TTG Asia.

Tourism Malaysia Expands Cooperation With Hong Kong To Promote Shopping Tourism



 
The Malaysian delegation at Hong Kong media briefing.
HONG KONG, 25 November 2013 – A Malaysian delegation comprising representatives from the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia), PEMANDU, shopping and retail associations were here recently to facilitate learning and sharing experiences with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong’s retail and wholesale fraternity.

The meeting of minds between the Malaysian delegation and their hosts in Hong Kong is set to expand co-operation especially between the retail industries of both countries through networking. It  also serves as a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences as well as gaining  insights on international trends  having significant impact on the tourism industry in this region.

Tourism Malaysia deliberated with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council through briefing sessions and organised site visits for the Malaysian delegation. In acquiring first-hand information on the Hong Kong shopping scene and the shopping malls management, the Malaysian delegation’s visit included site inspection of some of Hong Kong’s renowned shopping malls and branded stores, including the Landmark Gloucester Tower, Lane Crawford’s Flagship Store at IFC Mall and Hong Kong’s largest mall, Harbour City, which houses Ocean Terminal, Ocean Centre and Gateway Arcade.

Shopping Malaysia Secretariat also hosted a networking reception and dinner for agencies of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong trade and retail representatives as well as local and international media.

In 2012, Malaysia was Hong Kong’s 10th largest trading partner, ahead of the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Vietnam; and was also one of five ASEAN countries that were among the top 20 trading partners of Hong Kong. The other ASEAN countries were Singapore (in the 5th position), Thailand (9th), Vietnam (13th) and the Philippines (18th).

Malaysia’s retail industry grew by 5.5 per cent last year with RM87.8 (US$27.4) billion in sales turnover. Business Monitor International in its Malaysia Retail Report Q4 2012 forecasted that total retail sales in Malaysia will grow from US$55.82 billion in 2012 to US$69 billion in 2016, a rise of almost 24 per cent. The report cited that a low unemployment rate, rising disposable incomes and a strong tourism industry were helping  drive growth in Malaysia's retail sector.
-Tourism Malaysia.

Penang World Music Festival 2014 ( 12 & 13 April 2014 )



Penang Tourism presents two full nights of global music and culture as we bring to music lovers the next Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) 2014, to be staged on 12 and 13 April 2014 at the Penang Botanic Gardens’ Quarry Park. Fans of the first PWMF can expect the same authentic musical experience or better as the festival will feature a mix of well-known international and local musicians, performing a fusion of traditional and contemporary music.
The beautiful landscape of the Quarry Park will provide a nature-themed backdrop for the open-air festival which will start from 2pm with art and music workshops followed by the main programme from 6pm onwards. There will also be a festival bazaar on site, offering a wide selection of food and beverages, souvenir items, handicrafts and the performers’ CDs specially for festival-goers.
The Penang World Music Festival is truly an event not to be missed. SEE YOU THERE!
-www.ticketcharge.com.my

Tuesday 26 November 2013

31 Teams Tee-Off In Grand Final Of The WORLD AMATEUR INTER-TEAM GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 2013

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 November 2013: The Grand Final of the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship (WAITGC) 2013, organised by Tourism Malaysia, kicked off at the Mines Resort & Golf Club here today.

The three-day Grand Final of the 20th edition of WAITGC is participated by a total of 31 teams comprising of Australia (15 teams), Brunei (9 teams), Japan (1 team), Indonesia (1 team), Thailand (1 team) and Malaysia (4 teams).    

WAITGC is Tourism Malaysia’s initiative to promote the country as a top-of-mind golf destination in the region. It is played in Strokeplay gross for the gross category and Stableford for the nett and senior category. Since its debut in 1994, WAITGC has emerged as a well-regarded tournament and one of the highly anticipated golfing events in the region. It has also successfully attracted more than 500 participants every year.

The home-grown event not only tests the golfing skills of the participants but also encourages them to discover the many colourful cultures and traditions in Malaysia, as well as the country’s delectable cuisines and fascinating tourist attractions. 

The participation of international media has also further boosted the stature of the event and placed Malaysia on the world golfing map.  

Next year, the 21st edition of WAITGC will kick off with Qualifying Round One being played at the Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club and the IOI Palm Villa Golf & Country Club in Johor from March 10 to 13, 2014.

The World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship is managed by the Golf Club Managers’ Association of Malaysia (GCMAM) and sanctioned by the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA). 

-Tourism Malaysia.

Monday 25 November 2013

Promoting Royal Belum's allure

The Royal Belum forest, which is part of the Amanjaya Forest Reserve, is being used to draw in more European tourists to Perak.

GOPENG: PERAK will be actively promoting the Royal Belum forest reserve to the European market.

The state has been working extra hard to draw in tourists for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014, and this was one of the strategies being adopted.
State Tourism Committee chairman Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said Perak has traditionally been bypassed in tourism promotional activities. "Perak is not in the tourism promotion map, as the normal tourist attractions are Pulau Langkawi, Penang and Kuala Lumpur," she lamented.
Speaking to reporters after launching a community programme at Kampung Jahang, here, recently, Nolee Ashilin said Tourism Perak needed to work harder on advertising and promoting the state which had been identified as having been weak when it came to drawing in tourists.
"We need more travel agents to create inbounds for us. Tourism Perak can only do as much, but those with licences to bring in tourists also need to do their part," she said.
With its work cut out, Nolee Ashilin said Perak was aiming for five million domestic and foreign visitors to the state next year in conjunction with VMY 2014. "Normally, we get 3.5 million tourists annually, but we hope the number will increase significantly next year," she added.
On the target market by Perak in conjunction with VMY 2014, Nolee Ashilin said Tourism Perak would be concentrating on European, Middle Eastern, Singaporean, Chinese and Japanese tourists.
"We have decided to promote Royal Belum as an icon for the European market, while Singaporeans are into food and heritage trails," she said. "Tourism Perak and Tourism Malaysia are working together to showcase different products to cater to different markets."
Nolee Ashilin said Tourism Perak will meanwhile also be going to every district in the state with major tourism products to enhance and help increase its standard of cleanliness and hygiene.
"We will also increase our visibility by erecting more billboards along highways. We hope the three million motorists using the highways will be enticed to stop over in Perak," she said. In addition, a Perak travel fair will also be held next month in Kuala Lumpur.
-nst online.

MASwings Receives Minister's Special Award

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- MASwings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, won the prestigious Minister's Special Award at the Sabah Tourism Awards 2013 recently.

Malaysia Airlines' Hong Kong Station was also awarded as the Best Airline Station 2013, for the second consecutive year according to a statement.

The Minister's Special Award, the highest to be presented during the event, was announced and presented by Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun. The grand event was organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Environment, Sabah Tourism Board and Sri Pelancongan Sabah.

According to Masidi, the award was presented to MASwings in recognition of the airline's efforts in improving air connectivity within Sabah. "MASwings has facilitated travels to lesser known destinations in the state, enabling tourists to discover more of Sabah.

"This award also recognizes the efforts of an "all-Sabahan" cabin crew on the airline's operations in Sabah and often time these cabin crews have demonstrated the unbeatable traits of many Sabahans: poise, elegance, beauty and friendliness," said Masidi.

Malaysia Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, "We are very proud of this win by MASwings and MAS Hong Kong station." "Their hardwork and dedication had earned these prestigious recognition. "It is very motivating for us to see how our colleagues worked hard as a team to achieve seemingly impossible results to go beyond boundaries in our role to serve our guests," he added.

Introduced in 1997, the prestigious Sabah Tourism Awards celebrates the industry's achievements and to acknowledge the commitment to excellence. This grand ceremony honours outstanding individuals and organisations whose contributions have attributed to the growth of the Sabah tourism industry.

-bernama.

Malaysia Eyes Increased Business Tourism

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is eyeing at taking the business tourism arrivals from five per cent to eight per cent of the overall tourist arrivals by 2020.

Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen noted that Malaysia welcomed 25 million foreign visitors last year, generating over RM60 billion in tourism receipts.

"However, business only contributed five per cent of tourism, and we wish to gain more business tourists, up to eight per cent by 2020," she said in her opening speech at Glasstech Asia 2013 here Monday. "We must focus on gaining this (business tourism) because they (business tourists) spend more than leisure tourists which, in turn, may contribute more to economic growth," she said.

Among those present were Malaysia Glass Association (MGA) president Ho Sai Woo, Singapore Glass Association (SGA) chairman Gan Chee Siong, and Conference and Exhibition Management Services Pte Ltd (CEMS) group managing director Edward Liu.

Meanwhile, Dr Ng recognised Glasstech Asia's significant contribution towards the local meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry, as well as the tourism sector and the country's economy as a whole.

"While food, services and hospitality industries clearly benefit from a thriving MICE sector, other auxiliary contractors and service providers such as transport operators, freight forwarders and retail establishments also benefit immensely," she said.

She noted that MICE and business tourism had an uplifting effect on the country's image internationally while enhancing knowledge transfer and boosting international trade. Hosted by MGA and co-organised by SGA and CEMS, Glasstech Asia 2013 runs until Nov 27 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

It has dedicated pavilions mounted by China, Italy, Malaysia, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Featuring 184 exhibitors from 20 countries, the organisers expect about 4,500 trade professionals at the show.

-bernama.