AirAsia clinches world's leading low cost airline for seventh consecutive year

MUSCAT (Oman), Nov 29 -- AirAsia Bhd has clinched the world’s leading low-cost airline award for the seventh consecutive year by the World Travel Awards (WTA).

The Malaysia-based low-cost carrier emerged as the winner ahead of other global airlines including Air Arabia, Easy Jet, Fast Jet, Fly Dubai, Flynas, Jet Blue, Jetstar Airways, Norwegian, Ryan Air, Southwest Airline as well as West Air.

AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said AirAsia secured the top spot in the category after receiving the most number of votes from travellers and industry professionals, well ahead of its competitors.

"We are thrilled to be recognised as world champions yet again by industry watchers and the most discerning of travellers," he said.

AirAsia also took home the accolade for the leading low-cost airlines’ cabin crew for the third year running.

Group Head of Cabin Crew, Suhaila Hassan said these awards were the testament of its dedication to excellence in air travel.

"This recognition comes as we renew our commitment to becoming more than an airline, with expanded travel offerings on airasia.com to better deliver value to our guests and meet their ever-growing expectations of us," she said.

Suhaila who has been with the company for over 20 years, lead nearly 6,000 cabin crew across the AirAsia Group.

"We were a small airline two decades ago, with only 30 cabin crew and just two planes operating Malaysian domestic routes. Since then, we have grown and recruited cabin crew from all over the world, hailing from countries including Australia, Brazil, Zambia and the US," she said.

During the award event, WTA founder Graham E Cooke in his remark said AirAsia has continued to set the benchmark for low-cost aviation in Asia and beyond.

"Its dedication to improving its services remains unrivalled and I am delighted that it has been acknowledged by both the travel trade and the public," he said.

The 26th annual WTA was held in Muscat, Oman’s capital and is globally recognised as one of the most prestigious, comprehensive and coveted honours in the global tourism industry.

-bernama.

Malindo Air resumes Chitose, Hokkaido route

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 -- Malindo Air will be resuming its Kuala Lumpur – Chitose, Hokkaido route via Taipei, Taiwan from Jan 25, 2020, with three weekly flights every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

In conjunction with the resumption of the route, Malindo Air is offering promotional fares for the flights, starting from as low as RM709 for economy class and RM2,989 for business class.

The tickets can be purchased via Malindo Air’s website, www.malindoair.com, ticketing offices, customer care centre and its preferred travel agents.

Booking period starts from today until Dec 13, 2019, for travels between Jan 25, 2020 and March 28, 2020, it said in a statement today.

"We are reintroducing this route as we are committed to create more options in regional connectivity, and we are highly optimistic of the market growth in this region. Our reintroduction of this route will surely lend support to the tourism industry in both Malaysia and Japan.

“There is a huge tourism potential to tap into in Hokkaido, and visitors can explore the mysterious Lake Shikotsu and enjoy the beautiful transparent freshwater lake which never freezes, even in the harsh cold of Hokkaido winter,” said Malindo Air chief executive officer Captain Mushafiz Mustafa Bakri.

For updates on Malindo Air’s latest activities and promotions, customers can follow the airline via Twitter (https://twitter.com/malindoair), Facebook (facebook.com/MalindoAirMalaysia) or Instagram (instagram.com/malindoair).

-bernama.

Johor plans to house country’s first train museum

Johor will work with the national Museum Department to set up a museum on trains in Johor to preserve its history. — Filepic

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) is expected to set up Malaysia’s first train museum in Johor as part of efforts to preserve the country’s rich history of the railway system.

Johor health, culture and heritage committee chairman Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar said the museum was still under the planning and research stages.

“We will be working closely with the national Museum Department to set up this train museum in Johor.

“This includes updating inventories and recordings, hosting conservation programmes as well as restoring all railway historical artefacts that are found at locations throughout Johor and other parts of peninsular Malaysia, ” he said during the Johor State Assembly at Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar here.

Mohd Khuzzan said the train museum was expected to be set up in either Kluang district or Johor Baru.

“Johor Baru is the southernmost point of the state while Kluang is a district that has always been closely associated with trains.

“We hope the plan to set up the museum will be realised, ” he said, adding that this would help boost the tourism industry here.

He said it would be at either Johor Baru Central or at an old building with historical relevance to trains in Kluang.

“The Johor Heritage Foundation will also work with the relevant parties to ensure this project is a success.

“The state government will do its best to make Johor the home of the first train museum in the country, ” he added.

Mohd Khuzzan said KTMB was reaching out to the public, especially students, to raise awareness of the history of trains in the country.

“KTMB is actively carrying out programmes on this subject in schools while holding exhibitions all over the country, ” he said.

On the dengue menace, he said a total of 9,703 cases were recorded in Johor this year, an increase of about 92.4% compared to the corresponding period last year.

Mohd Khuzzan said more than half of the number of cases reported were in Johor Baru district.

“Johor Baru recorded the highest number of dengue cases with 7,199 cases, followed by Kluang (568) and Kulai (462).

“Batu Pahat district recorded 369 cases, Kota Tinggi (227), Segamat (216), Tangkak (164), Pontian (145) and Mersing (133), ” he said.

He said 26 people had died because of dengue fever here, an increase from 17 deaths last year.

“Of the number, 15 deaths were in Johor Baru, three in Kluang, two in Batu Pahat and one each in Tangkak, Mersing, Muar, Pontian, Kota Tinggi and Kulai, ” he said, adding that those who died were aged between eight months old and 95 years old.

Mohd Khuzzan said some 505,339 premises were inspected as part of efforts to curb the menace.

“About 19,428 of the premises checked were found to be Aedes mosquitoes breeding sites.

He said the state government was actively working on increasing public awareness of dengue.

The assembly also heard that the state government had taken the necessary steps to ensure youths were well informed, educated and ready to vote following the lowering of voting age to 18 years old starting from 2021.

Johor youth, sports entrepreneurship development and cooperatives committee chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali said under Johor Budget 2020, allocations had been given to help youths better understand their role in democracy and the country’s politics.

“An allocation of RM1.6mil has been provided to Institut Integriti Kepimpinan dan Latihan Semangat Dato’ Onn for youth development and to help them acquire skills.

“Part of the allocation, about RM500,000, will be used for programmes that allow youths to have a better understanding of the political system of the country as well as to help them understand their rights and responsibilities in democracy, ” he said outside the state assembly here.

He said that another RM1.5mil was allocated to Johor Youth Development Centres in Johor Budget 2020.

-thestar online.

Initiative to boost arrivals from Southern Thailand for VM2020

HATYAI, Nov 27 -- Tourism Malaysia to launch various campaigns and initiatives to promote Malaysia as a top of mind tourist destination among Thai, especially Southern Thai communities for Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM2020).

Among the initiatives and programs included “Malaysia Tourism Seminar and B2B Session”.

In a statement, Tourism Malaysia said the programme is an initiative to keep industry players updated on VM2020” campaign and create a platform for networking and collaboration especially for package development and promotional efforts with an eye on welcoming more tourists from Southern Thailand to Malaysia.

“The programme aims at strengthening the cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia, as both countries have a long-standing relationship as close neighbours,” it said.

More than 100 local delegates from travel agents, associations and members of the media from southern Thailand attended. Tourism Malaysia also brought along nine Malaysia tourism industry players to attend the event.

Director of International Promotion Division (ASEAN) Tourism Malaysia Noran Ujang said Malaysia is set to roll out various campaigns and packages to attract 2.3 million Thai tourists to its shore next year.

“From January to July this year, Malaysia received 1.15 million tourists from Thailand reflecting an increase of 2.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2018,” he said.

Malaysia is targeting to attract 2.19 million Thai tourist this year.

For VM2020, Malaysia targets a total of 30 million tourist arrivals, of which 2.3 million is expected from Thailand.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand Datuk Jojie Samuel said Malaysia would continue to strengthen cooperation with local partners as agents, associations, media, corporate organisations, educational institutions and others to support the growth of the market.

“We will continue to carry out various initiatives to drive the growth in the tourism industry and look at different market segments to ensure that arrivals from these markets continue to grow,” he said at the Networking Dinner of Cul-Tour Border Tourism here today.

-bernama.

Final call: join top suppliers at ATF 2020 in Brunei

ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2020 TRAVEX will take place from January 14-16, 2020, at the BRIDEX International Conference Centre in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Major travel and tourism suppliers across all 10 South-east Asia destinations, plus India, have already confirmed their representation at the upcoming ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2020 TRAVEX, with choice booth spaces running out.

Held from January 14-16, 2020, at the BRIDEX International Conference Centre in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, TRAVEX will offer buyers from around the world the opportunity to shop for some of the best and latest travel and tourism products from across South-east Asia.

Exhibitors already onboard include Borneo Eco Tours; Cassia Phuket; Como Hotels & Resorts – Thailand & Bhutan; Damai Beach Resort; Grand Margherita Hotel & Riverside Majestic Hotel; Darussalam Holdings; Focus Asia; Freme Travel Services; Hotel Casuarina @ Meru; Hpl Hotels & Resorts; India Tourism; Ioi Resort City; Jerudong Park Country Club; Juniper; Lit Bangkok Hotel & Residence; Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board; Memories Group; Ministry Of Information, Culture And Tourism; Ministry Of Tourism And Creative Economy Indonesia; Ministry Of Tourism Of Cambodia; Mulia Hotel; Myanmar Tourism Marketing Association; Nusa Legend Siam; PATA; Penang Global Tourism; Royal Brunei Airlines; Royal Cliff Hotels Group; Sabah Tourism Board; Santika Indonesia Hotels & Resorts; Sindhorn Midtown Hotel; Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; Sunway Theme Parks; Tabin Wildlife Holidays; The Empire Hotel; The Royal Pita Maha; Tourism Authority Of Thailand; Tourism Development Department; Ministry Of Primary Resources And Tourism; Tourism Promotions Board Philippines; Viet Unique Tourist And Trading Company; Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism; World Express Tours; and more.

Buyers from across the world have also confirmed their attendance, with a majority hailing from the Asia-Pacific. Buyer hosting programme, covering flights and accommodation, is still open and in its final phase, as the first stage of pre-event appointment scheduling that offers mutual and pre-matched appointments based on seller and buyer set preferences, is set to open on December 9.

The second Online Diary stage will take place from the third week of December to the first week of January 2020, allowing delegates to make meeting requests with each other.

ATF 2020 will also see the addition of a new business speed-dating component on the first day of TRAVEX, where all attending buyers and sellers will have the chance to meet and swap as many as 200 contacts with each other.

Other event highlights include media briefings featuring latest insights and first-hand destination developments by all 10 NTOs, networking events such as hosted luncheons by Tourism Malaysia and Tourism Promotions Board Philippines; hosted dinner by Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism; and the ATF 2020 opening ceremony and dinner hosted by Brunei Tourism taking place on the first day of TRAVEX to welcome delegates to Brunei.

Click here to register for ATF 2020 Brunei.

For more information and programme updates, visit www.atfbrunei2020.com.

-TTG Asia.

Malaysia’s Tourism Industry Registers Positive Growth For Jan-Sep 2019

PUTRAJAYA, 26 NOVEMBER 2019: Overall, Malaysia’s tourism industry performance from January to September 2019 showed positive development. 

International tourist arrivals to Malaysia went up by +3.7% to 20,109,203 tourists for the period of January to September 2019 compared with 19,386,115 tourists for the same period in 2018. The top 10 countries with highest contribution of tourist arrivals were Singapore (7,868,755 tourist arrivals), Indonesia (2,792,776), China (2,413,956), Thailand (1,442,224), Brunei (929,789), India (539,167), South Korea (508,080), Vietnam (323,393), Japan (321,283) and the Philippines (317,294).

Meanwhile, tourist expenditure for the same period in 2019 reached RM66.14 billion compared to RM61.85 billion for the same period in 2018, indicating an increase of +6.9%. The main contributors to the tourist expenditure were from Singapore (RM16.3 billion), China (RM12.8 billion), Indonesia (RM8.8 billion), Thailand (RM2.8 billion) and India (RM2.5 billion).

Per capita expenditure for the period of January-September 2019 also grew by 3.1% from RM3,190.5 to RM3,289.3.

Meanwhile, the Average Length of Stay went up 0.1 nights from 7.3 nights to 7.4 nights.

The short haul market retained its position as the largest contributor of tourists to Malaysia with a share of 68.7%

The total share contribution of tourists from the medium haul market was 21.6% while the share of tourists from long haul market was 9.7%.

Data on tourist arrivals into Malaysia from the 45 main markets for the period of January-September 2019 can be downloaded at: http://mytourismdata.tourism.gov.my/

-Tourism Malaysia.

MOTAC actively promoting VMY2020 overseas - minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 -- The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is actively promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VMY2020), especially in populous countries.

Its minister, Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi said among the promotional efforts undertaken was the installation of advertising visuals on the panels of trains, taxis and buses, as well as cross track panels in the United Kingdom, VMY2020 logo billboards at the Shinagawa train station and Fukuoka Airport in Japan, and at Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul, Turkey.

“The VMY2020 digital campaign is also carried out for the Australian, United States and Japanese markets to increase the booking for holiday packages to Malaysia.

“The Sepang MotoGP promotional package was also launched in the United Kingdom last August in collaboration with Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT) and Red Bull KTM Ajo Motorsport. It was broadcast live in 207 countries,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

The minister was responding to a question from Datuk Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu) on the VMY2020 promotional efforts which were seen as lukewarm.

Mohamaddin said the promotional campaign in the mass media and social media for the domestic market was being aggressively carried out by Tourism Malaysia in collaboration with the major local media via publicity and slots in the digital and print media, television and radio channels as well as tourism travelogue programmes.

He said Tourism Malaysia was also creating a VMY2020 microsite, targeted at the millennial generation, and it was expected to be ready soon.

“The website with a user-generated concept can be used to disseminate information on the VMY2020 campaign such as the signature events and calendar of events, video campaign and so on,” he added.

-bernama.

Penggiat Industri Pelancongan Perak Dan Pulau Pinang Bersedia Untuk Menyambut Pelancong Sempena Melawat Malaysia 2020

GEORGE TOWN, 21 NOVEMBER 2019: Negeri Perak dan Pulau Pinang mempunyai daya tarikan tersendiri yang dapat menarik tumpuan pelancong domestik serta luar negara bagi menjayakan kempen Melawat Malaysia 2020.

Ini dinyatakan oleh Datuk Musa Haji Yusof, Ketua Pengarah Tourism Malaysia, pada sesi Visit Malaysia 2020 Kick Off Conference (Perak dan Pulau Pinang) di Hotel Berjaya Pulau Pinang anjuran Tourism Malaysia untuk merancakkan lagi promosi bagi kempen Melawat Malaysia 2020 di wilayah utara negara.

Beliau berkata, “Negeri Perak dan Pulau Pinang merupakan destinasi penting negara yang menawarkan kepelbagaian produk pelancongan. Malah, negeri Pulau Pinang juga akan menyambut tahun melawat Pulau Pinang dengan tagline #experiencepenangyear2020.”

Tambah beliau, “Negeri Pulau Pinang mempunyai kemudahsampaian yang baik samada melalui darat, laut, udara serta rel. Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Pulau Pinang menerima penerbangan terus dari China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Doha, Singapore, Indonesia dan Vietnam.”

Negeri Perak juga telah menerima penerbangan terus daripada Singapura dan juga akan menerima penerbangan carter dari Guangzhou-SCANDA SKY. Penerbangan baharu Subang-Ipoh SKS Airways juga akan diperkenalkan dengan kekerapan 2 kali sehari, manakala penerbangan Subang-Pangkor pula adalah dengan kekerapan sehari sekali.

Datuk Musa berpendapat bahawa status Pulau Pangkor sebagai Pulau Bebas Cukai bermula 1 Januari 2020 ini juga adalah suatu tarikan baharu bagi pelancong ke pulau itu. Perak juga telah melantik Michael Wong sebagai duta untuk menarik pelancong dari pasaran negeri China dan Taiwan ke Perak.

Beliau berkata, “Marilah kita semua menyahut saranan Perdana Menteri kita untuk menjadikan kempen Melawat Malaysia 2020 ini sebagai sebuah misi nasional, bagi memastikan kejayaannya.”

LATARBELAKANG PROGRAM VISIT MALAYSIA 2020 KICK OFF CONFERENCE

Program Visit Malaysia 2020 Kick Off Conference ini adalah perjumpaan khas antara Tourism Malaysia dan penggiat industri pelancongan negara, ketua-ketua jabatan dan agensi kerajaan serta wakil badan bukan kerajaan. Ia bertujuan untuk mendapatkan sokongan penggiat industri pelancongan terhadap kempen Melawat Malaysia 2020. 

Ia juga bertujuan untuk menyampaikan dan berkongsi maklumat berhubung kempen Melawat Malaysia 2020, prestasi industri pelancongan negara bagi setengah tahun pertama 2019 serta kemudahan dan insentif yang ditawarkan oleh Tourism Malaysia dalam membantu aktiviti promosi dan pemasaran pelancongan Malaysia. 

Di samping itu, wakil dari setiap negeri juga diberi peluang untuk membentangkan pelan pemasaran pelancongan masing-masing yang akan dijalankan pada tahun hadapan.

Beberapa pengusaha produk tempatan juga turut mengambil bahagian dalam pameran pelancongan bagi mengenengahkan keunikan produk pelancongan masing masing di samping mencari pasaran baru.

Tahun 2020 telah ditetapkan sebagai tahun untuk kempen Melawat Malaysia 2020 dengan sasaran untuk mencapai ketibaan pelancong antarabangsa seramai 30 juta dengan pendapatan pelancongan sebanyak RM100 bilion dengan memberi fokus kepada kelestarian pelancongan, seni dan kebudayaan.

-Tourism Malaysia.

'Club Med Borneo Kota Kinabalu' resort new landmark in Kuala Penyu

BEAUFORT, Nov 25 -- The Kuala Penyu district, near here will have a new landmark with the construction of the resort ‘Club Med Borneo Kota Kinabalu’ in Kampung Tanjung Aru, which is expected to be completed by 2022.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the construction of the resort off the coast of Kampung Tanjung Aru, Kuala Penyu, costs about RM400 million and will be built through the close collaboration of Golden Sands Beach Resort City Sdn Bhd and Asia-Pacific (APAC), Club Med.

“The Sabah government welcomes the development of this tourism sector, because it will certainly create a lot of jobs for the people of Sabah.

“APAC, Club Med is a world-renowned developer, and has proven to bring development and progress in the tourism sector,” he told reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony here today.

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew who is also State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Golden Sands Beach Resort City Sdn Bhd managing director Peter Wong Liang Sang and APAC Resorts Club Med chief executive officer Jean Carles Fortoul.

Mohd Shafie said the selection of Kuala Penyu as the location for the construction of the resort was strategic, as it was located near two neighbouring countries, namely Indonesia and Brunei.

“The location is also not far from Kota Kinabalu and only takes about one hour and thirty minutes by car. This development will definitely boost the tourism sector in Sabah, especially in this area,” he added.

-bernama.

2019 FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) 2019 World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) @ Sepang International Circuit ( 13 ~ 15 December 2019 )

EWC & WTCR will be joining forces this year, this will be a breath-taking event where an 8 hour Motorbike Endurance Race and also a thrilling WTCR race of the very best touring cars will happen in the same weekend. The EWC consist of 2-3 riders per team who will handover their bike to the team mates after their stints and the WTCR consist of turbocharged cars with a maximum output of 350bhp

Access to :
•MGS .

MAIN GRANDSTAND
The North Main Grandstand is facing Pits 1-33 which means spectators get a clear view to see the teams doing their pit activities. It also means they get to watch the Start/Finish of the race from the green light to the chequered flag to the podium ceremony. The South Main Grandstand view comprises at least 6 different turns and a straight from turn 8 to 15, spectators will enjoy the race in all its glory. 

* Event is free seating.
* Children below 2 years old may enter for FREE but no seat will be allocated. To have a seat , the child must have accompanying tickets.
* Free entry on 13th December 2019.
* Terms & Conditions apply.

https://www.sepangcircuit.com/ticketing/wtcr-ewc/wtcr-ewc

-Sepang International Circuit.

Bukit Bindu endurance motorcycle challenge will be Batu Pahat's latest tourist attraction

BATU PAHAT, Nov 24 -- The Bukit Bindu endurance motorcycle challenge in Tongkang Pechah here will be the latest tourist attraction when it is included in the district’s tourism calendar next year.

Parit Ya’ani state assemblyman Aminolhuda Hassan said the event will make Batu Pahat a “compulsory location” for fans of motocross sports throughout the country.

Aminolhuda who is also chairman of the state Education, Human Resources, Science and Technology Committee said at the same time, it will also promote the Visit Johor Year 2020 and Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) 2020 held in the state.

“I understand that the motorcycle sports activity with its concept of endurance was held in the district for the first time while previously it was held at the Ayer Hitam Circuit,” he told reporters here today.

Aminolhuda was met after he launched the “Bukit Bindu Enduro King of Mountain 2019” at Kampung Parit Buloh, Bindu, here. Also present were Batu Pahat district officer Zulkiflee Abbas and president of the Motocross TQMX Club, Nizam Mohd Noor.

He said the event had attracted more than 200 participants.

It comprised two categories - under 200cc and more than 200cc, - and participants had to go through a 20-kilometre track.

Meanwhile, Nizam said Bukit Bindu was chosen as the motorcycle track as it provided participants with new challenges, giving them a different experience as well as a panoramic view of Bukit Bindu.

“This activity will be made an annual programme and will hopefully attract more endurance motorcycle fans from throughout the country.

“In the future, we will open the challenge to foreign participants as there is demand from motocross fans from other countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia,” he said.

During the event, the title ‘King of Mountain’ went to Tong Seng Tak, 39, who reached the hilltop in three hours five minutes.

-bernama.

Malaysia steps up tourism game to attract more arrivals from China

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) representatives, alongside Faizal Shani, consul general of Malaysia in Kunming (second from right), were present at CITM 2019 last week to announce a series of initiatives and offerings rolled out by MTPB to woo more Chinese tourists

In line with its Visit Malaysia 2020 tourism campaign, Malaysia will next year roll out a host of initiatives and efforts to strengthen ties with China, as 2020 marks the 45th year of economic and cultural cooperation between both nations.

To commemorate this milestone, the Malaysian government has declared 2020 the Malaysia-China Culture and Tourism Year, shared Faizal Shani, consul general of Malaysia in Kunming.

“As part of this programme, we will support tourism traffic between Malaysia and China. The Consulate General of Malaysia in Kunming will provide services especially to the Kunming and Yunnan market,” he told TTG Asia at the China International Travel Mart (CITM) in Kunming last week.

At CITM 2019, which marked the start of its China-oriented efforts, the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) joined hands with local tour operators to promote unique experiences offering deeper engagement for Chinese tourists.

One such experience includes a stay on a durian farm, where guests can hear durians drop from trees in the night and follow a guide to enjoy the freshly-picked fruit. The experience includes a detailed telling of the different types of durians and their distinctive tastes.

“We’re seeing less of the large group tours. Instead, the Chinese are now travelling in smaller groups of friends and family, and planning their own itineraries. We believe that such experiences would appeal to these travellers,” explained Chan Hon Mun, deputy director, international promotion division Asia/Africa, MTPB.

In order to cater to this segment, MTPB has also been stepping up efforts to encourage local hotels and merchants to accept mobile payment methods such as WeChat Pay and AliPay, as well as advising tour operators to sell their packages on popular Chinese OTA sites like Trip.com, said Chan.

The Malaysian government has also relaxed its visa requirements for Chinese tourists, such that travellers with a China passport transiting in Thailand, Indonesia or Singapore can now enjoy a visa on arrival.

Shenzhen Airlines will commence flights between Penang and Shenzhen on December 18, joining the current roster of 232 Malaysia-China routes by seven airlines.

Faizal added that the efforts to deepen the bond between Malaysia and China extend beyond tourism, with the Malaysian government having introduced a four-year Bahasa Malaysia culture and language programme for Chinese students.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian travel trade was quick to leverage the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign to woo more Chinese travellers, particularly the FIT segment, by promoting the country as a value-for-money destination.

Seeing strong potential for further growth from China, currently Malaysia’s top medium-haul market, Uzaidi Udanis, president at Malaysian Inbound Travel Association said: “Our travel counterparts in China mainly focus on group travel which is low yield, but FIT travel is already a strong force.”

With Thailand’s Phuket, Samui and Pattaya posing strong competition in pursuit of the Chinese FIT market, Uzaida is encouraging association members to promote more islands and beach resort packages to the Chinese market.

And Ally Bhoonee, executive director at World Avenues, has responded to the call. He said: “We have come up with new packages in Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi in conjunction with the year-long Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign. 

We are focusing on the beaches, islands and multicultural aspects in Malaysia.”

Inbound players also opined that the strong Thai baht makes hotel rates in Malaysia, in comparison, even more affordable.

Commented Bhoonee: “Targeting the middle class from Southern China, we have informed our partners that hotel rates in Malaysia are very competitively priced and value for money. Now would be a good time for repeat visitors to Thailand to try a new destination.”

Raaj Navaratnaa, general manager, New Asia Holidays Tours & Travel, shared: “We have segmentised the market to appeal to Chinese FIT millennials looking for soft adventure, educational tourism, or lifestyle travel.

“By doing so, we hope to show them aspects of a holiday they are interested in and woo them away from Thailand, which all this while remains a preferred destination.”

“We’re seeing less of the large group tours. Instead, the Chinese are now travelling in smaller groups of friends and family, and planning their own FIT itineraries.”

-TTG Asia.

Perak to use TikTok to promote tourism sector

IPOH, Nov 20 -- The state government via Tourism Perak will promote the Perak tourism sector through its TikTok platform, a short video application in an effort to attract tourists in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2020.

Perak Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman, Tan Kar Hing, said the latest application received rave reviews from millennial teenagers in Southeast Asia and the West.

“Collaboration with TikTok by launching a campaign from time to time will make the state known worldwide,” he said when winding up the debate on the 2020 State Budget at the Perak state assembly sitting at the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here today.

In addition, Tan said Tourism Perak would generate more digital content to be promoted on various social media applications such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as more and more tourists are now searching for information through websites and social media.

He said social media applications Weibo and Wechat's would also be used to promote the market in China to assist the private-sector to establish direct flights from Guangzhou, China to Ipoh.

Meanwhile, the state assembly today announced that the state government would establish a sports policy for Persons with Disabilities (OKU), the first of its kind in Malaysia starting this year.

The Perak Youth and Sports Development Committee chairman, Howard Lee Chuan How said it was a special initiative of the state government to ensure that there is continuity between the Para Sukma Games and Special Olympics.

“To implement this policy, the OKU Sports Development Course, the Disability Classification Course as well as Talent Identification (TID) of athletes with disabilities will be conducted,” Lee said.

The state Communications, Multimedia, Non-Governmental Organisations, and Information Committee chairman Hasnul Zulkarnain Abd Munaim told the assembly that the broadband penetration rate in Perak this year increased to 120.8 per cent from 114.1 per cent last year.

Hasnul Zulkarnain said fast internet access can benefit the local community through the development of sustainable and quality digital infrastructure.

“This in turn enhances the socio-economic connectivity of the population and at the same time attracts investors,” he said.

The state assembly sitting resumes at 9 am tomorrow.

-bernama.

Pahang Fest 2019 @ Publika KL ( 21 ~ 24 November 2019 )

-Tourism Pahang facebook.

Visit Malaysia Year 2020 to highlight local gastronomic delights

LANGKAWI, Nov 20 -- The variety of local food offered by Malaysians will be highlighted to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VMY2020), says Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Musa Yusof.

He said as a multiracial and multicultural nation, Malaysia had the advantage of offering gastronomic delights to tourists.

"Statistically, between January and June (this year), tourists contributed RM4.5 billion to the country's food and beverage (F&B) sector, an increase of 8.9 per cent over the same period in 2018.

"Looking at the advantage Malaysia has in terms of offering local food products, the selling proposition through gastronomy is one of the things Tourism Malaysia will focus on for the promotion of VMY2020," he told reporters after launching a Malaysian food promotion by 15 hotel and restaurant operators in Langkawi at the Aseania Langkawi Resort, here last night.

Among the 25 types of food promoted by hotel and restaurant operators on the island are 'peknga', 'kuih qasidah', 'kerabu bronok', 'nasi dagang', 'kambing golek' (roasted mutton), 'laksa Mahsuri udang' (shrimp laksa), nasi lemak, fish head curry and chicken rendang.

-bernama.

'Karnival Upin & Ipin 2019' expected to draw 300,000 visitors

MELAKA, Nov 18 -- This year's 'Karnival Upin & Ipin' which will be held from Nov 29 until Dec 1 at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) Ayer Keroh here promises its targeted 300,000 visitors full pack exciting activities.

Les' Copaque Production Sdn Bhd managing director Burhanuddin Md Radzi said the country's largest family carnival was targeting visitors not only from Melaka and southern states but also from neighbouring Singapore as well as Indonesia.

He said for the first time, the carnival would be held outside the Klang Valley, in conjunction with Visit Melaka Year this year.

Burhanuddin said one of the highlights of the annual event was "Dewan Inderaloka" or the fantasy Kingdom of Inderaloka from the box-office animation film 'Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal'.

"Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the adventure of Upin, Ipin and their friends at Pelabuhan Megah and Pulau Angan Makanan.

"It will also feature several local folklore characters such as 'Mat Jenin', 'Raja Bersiong' and 'Nakhoda Ragam'," he told a press conference here today adding that the carnival would also be held with the cooperation of the Melaka state government.

Also present were state Tourism, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis general manager of Tourism Promotions in the Melaka Chief Minister's Department, Zairi Suboh.

Burhanuddin said the carnival would also feature performances by other Les' Copaque's hit animation series such as 'Upin & Ipin', 'Pada Zaman Dahulu', and 'Puteri'.

"Visitors will also be able to explore the mysterious house, Dadudido' spaceship, 'Hutan Rimba' as well as visiting Opah’s House and Ehsan's House," he said.

In conjunction with the carnival, Burhanuddin said the ‘Upin & Ipin Fun Run’ would also be held on Nov 30 where participants would receive a medal, an Upin or Ipin drawstring bag and a special prize.

Tickets are available at http://karnivalupinipin.com.

-bernama.

ASEANMEET 2019 Sets To Boost Arrivals From South East Asia

MELAKA, 18 NOV 2019 – Ybrs. Encik Iskandar Mirza Mohd Yusof, Senior Director of Corporate Communication Tourism Malaysia today launched the ASEANMEET 2019, held from 17 to 19 November 2019. The event invites ASEAN members to join product updates on tourist attractions, briefings and presentations on tourism industry, as well as a Travel Mart session. 

A total of 53 travel agents and 7 media from nine ASEAN countries namely Brunei (5 participants), Cambodia (3), Indonesia (14), Laos (6), Myanmar (3), the Philippines (17), Singapore (3), Thailand (5) and Vietnam (4) are participating in three days full of tourism activities including pre-tours, Travel Mart and product visits. The group also attended a traditional costume-themed welcome dinner hosted by Tourism Malaysia and Melaka State Tourism on 17 November 2019. Post-tours will cover Penang, Terengganu, Johor, Sarawak and Sabah.

For record, ASEAN contributed huge arrivals with 18.11 million tourists (70.1%) in 2018. Up until July 2019, the numbers also recorded positive growth of 4.7% (10,946,217 million tourists) in comparison to 2018, promising another good inbound year for Malaysia.

The inaugural ASEANMEET 2019 is the partnership between Tourism Malaysia and private sectors such Malaysia Airlines Berhad, Melaka State Tourism and Hatten Hotel Melaka - as principal sponsors of the programme – with International Promotion Division South East Asia, Tourism Malaysia as the secretariat.

The programme is part of Tourism Malaysia’s effort to position Malaysia as a top-of-mind tourist destination for the South East Asia market and promoting Visit Malaysia 2020. The campaign targets 30 million international tourist arrivals and RM100 billion tourist receipts. The focus of the campaign is on ecotourism, arts and culture. 

Visit Malaysia 2020 will showcase Malaysia’s beautiful and culturally diverse attributes as the preferred holiday destination with many fascinating attractions offering unique experiences. Malaysia Truly Asia welcomes tourists from all over the world to enjoy an affordable and value-for-money holiday in Malaysia.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Focus on 'Perak Man' as tourist attraction - Wan Azizah

IPOH, Nov 16 -- The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and the state government of Perak have been advised to give focus on 'Perak Man' and the development of Lenggong Valley in Hilir Perak as tourist attractions.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, when giving the advice, said it was important as the declaration of Lenggong Valley as a UNESCO World Heritage Site did not come easy.

“It is not easy for a site to be declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it is only right for such recognition to be used as an opportunity to introduce a different side of Malaysia to the world,” she said in her speech when opening the Malaysia Deepavali Open House 2019 at Ipoh City Council Square here tonight.

‘Perak Man’ is the name given to the most complete skeletal remains of a man from the Palaeolithic period discovered in a cave called Gua Runtuh in Lenggong in 1990.

Besides, Dr Wan Azizah said MOTAC and the state government could also use the elements of history and heritage to lure more tourists, especially from the United Kingdom, as remnants of British Resident era can still be found in the state which can be turned into ‘historical tourism'.

In line with Visit Malaysia Year 2020, Dr Wan Azizah also expressed hope that the people in the country, especially in Perak, to be prepared to welcome foreign tourists coming to the country and the state.

At the same time, she also described the downgrading of Malaysia’ air safety rating by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a challenge for the government to find new measures for tourism promotion.

In this context, she said MOTAC should give more focus to potential markets which were not directly affected by the downgrading of the rating.

“Promotional campaigns should also be enhanced by taking into consideration the latest trends, such as digital marketing, use of more targetted social media and digital apps with packages that focus on the niche market capable of luring high-income tourists to the country,” she said.

A recent Reuters report stated that FAA has downgraded Malaysia’s air safety rating to Category 2, restricting the country’s airlines from adding flights to the United States.

On the Deepavali Open House, Dr Wan Azizah said it offered an opportunity for the people from all walks of life to celebrate the festivals of different races and enhance mutual understanding and respect, which made Malaysia different from other countries.

She said foreign tourists have been coming to Malaysia to see its diversified arts and cultures, eastern values and heritage, as well as the richness of its flora and fauna, and all those elements should be turned into valuable assets to lure more tourists to come to the country.

-bernama.

Festival Kraf Borneo Sabah ( 18 ~ 28 November 2019 )

FESTIVAL KRAF BORNEO 2019

Tarikh : 18-28 November 2019
Masa :10pagi - 10 malam
Tempat : Suria Sabah

Banyak aktivit yang akan diadakan sepanjang festival berlangsung seperti :
-> Pameran Kraf
-> Jualan Kraf
-> Peragaan Fesyen
-> Pertandingan FKB 2019
-> Dan banyakkkkk lagi

Jom jom jom!!!

-Tourism Malaysia Sabah.

Media Representatives Explore The Land Below The Wind In A Programme Organised By Tourism Malaysia

KOTA KINABALU, 11 NOVEMBER 2019 – Tourism Malaysia is organising the “Ekspresi Media Kinabalu 2019” programme which will be held from 11 to 15 November 2019 where a total of 10 representatives from social media from various newspapers, magazines and social media platforms will be on a trip to explore the land of Sabah. This programme, which is the third of the series, is organised with the aim to encourage the promotion of tourist destinations in Sabah as part of Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign.

Like the previous series in Kenyir and Lembah Bujang, Ekspresi Media Kinabalu works based on the concept of interactive and experiential tour where participants will be actively involved in the tourism activities. Participants will be on a sightseeing trip from Kota Kinabalu to Tuaran, Kudat, Kota Belud and Kundasang and will have the opportunity to explore new as well as existing attractions along the route. The program includes hands-on experiences and product briefings by professionals in the industry to provide a wholesome experience of Sabah and showcase some of the state’s hidden gems.

“The programme is constructed such that our media participants will get exposed to experiential tourism to ensure that they not only get to visit our beautiful tourist destinations, but also experience our culture and customs especially in Sabah which is well known for its communitybased tourism (CBT),” said Mr. Iskandar Mirza Mohd Yusof, the Senior Director of the Corporate Communications Division of Tourism Malaysia.

He commented further that this programme is one of the strategies adopted by Tourism Malaysia to penetrate the digital world where social media representatives can play an active part by introducing tourism products through the concept of ‘travel and storytelling’ which is capable of creating a huge impact in this highly digitalized era.

Media participants will be exposed to various activities such as “glamping” where daily luxuries are retained amidst nature in a camping ambiance at Cabana Retreat, and cruising down Kampung Rampayan river to enjoy the scenery along Pantai Rampayan which is inhabited by wildlife including proboscis monkeys and fireflies, with the romantic setting sun in the background.

Among other interesting activities in the itinerary include the exposure to a variety of tribes and clans unique to Borneo such as the Bajau tribe, which will be a part of the entourage to welcome participants clad in their traditional attire. 

The participants will pay a visit to the Bengkel Kraftangan Tenunan Dastar Kota Belud to view art crafts, weaving process and the traditional clothing worn by the Irranun tribe during ceremonies and special events.

In addition, the programme will bring the participants up close with the Rungus tribe and witness the process of gong and beads making which are part of Rungus’ culture. Owing to Sabah’s geographical location which is rich with natural resources, the participants will be going on a trip to the resort that houses Sabah tea which is known as one of the famous Sabah souvenirs and Desa Dairy Farm which the locals affectionately dub as the Little New Zealand of Sabah.

Through the hands-on experience, Tourism Malaysia hopes that the participating media will share their stories with their readers and followers by informing them via their respective media in order to stimulate interest in visiting the unique state known as the land below the wind.

It is estimated that between 40 and 50 stories will be generated by this group, which include feature articles and postings on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and blogs.

In order to expand the audience reach, hashtags such as #tourismmalaysia, #malaysiaairlines, #malaysiatrulyasia, #cuticutimalaysia, #vm2020 and #ekspresimedia2019 will be used to allow followers to seamlessly access the latest updates on the programme.

Key to the success of this programme is the partnerships between Tourism Malaysia and the private sectors. Malaysia Airlines, as principal sponsor of the programme, have come together to provide strong support. Meanwhile, state tourism stakeholders, hoteliers and tourism product owners have also stepped forward to collaborate on this programme and ensure its success.

-Tourism Malaysia.