Wednesday 29 April 2020

Expo 2020 Dubai likely to shift to 2021

UAE proposes one-year delay for Expo 2020 Dubai

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made an official request to postpone the Expo 2020 Dubai until next October due to the coronavirus, announced The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on Saturday (April 4).

The Paris-based organisation said in a statement that the decision was made following consultations with the BIE, participating countries and key stakeholders. UAE’s proposed opening dates of Expo 2020 Dubai are from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

The UAE has also requested to continue using the name Expo 2020 Dubai for the event, despite the change in dates.

The BIE said that the Executive Committee will hold a virtual meeting on April 21 to discuss the options for a change of dates. For the proposal to be green-lit, it requires the approval of two-thirds majority of BIE member states, with the final decision expected in June.

The Executive Committee of the BIE is formed by delegates from 12 member states. They were elected by the BIE’s General Assembly.


Expo 2020 Dubai was expected to attract about 25 million visitors to the six-month event, which was slated to launch this October.
-TTG Asia.

Wednesday 22 April 2020

Pertandingan Video Muzik Pelancongan #DUDUKDIRUMAH Anjuran Tourism Malaysia


PUTRAJAYA, 22 APR 2020: Untuk menggalakkan rakyat Malaysia menggunakan masa secara positif sepanjang Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP), Tourism Malaysia di bawah Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya menganjurkan Pertandingan Penghasilan Video Muzik Pendek bertemakan pelancongan dari 18 hingga 28 April 2020.

Pertandingan ini menawarkan peluang unik untuk rakyat Malaysia mempamerkan bakat serta kreativiti dalam mempromosikan pelancongan di Malaysia tanpa perlu meninggalkan rumah masing-masing.

Penyertaan boleh dibuat secara berkumpulan atau individu di mana peserta boleh memilih dari tiga kategori iaitu nyanyian, bermain alat muzik atau melakonkan sebuah sketsa mengenai pelancongan di Malaysia. Setiap muzik video perlu menggunakan lagu ‘Cuti-Cuti Malaysia’ atau lagu ‘Visit Truly Asia Malaysia’ yang boleh dimuat turun dari laman web rasmi Tourism Malaysia.

Penyertaan adalah percuma dan terbuka kepada semua warganegara Malaysia dengan harapan untuk menggalakkan rakyat Malaysia mempromosi produk pelancongan di Malaysia dengan menggunakan media sosial.

Tiga pemenang terpilih akan membawa pulang pakej pelancongan 3 Hari 2 Malam yang meliputi tiket penerbangan pergi balik, penginapan serta transfers dan tours. Pemenang boleh memilih sendiri destinasi pelancongan pilihan di Malaysia.

“Menyedari situasi PKP pada masa ini, Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya melalui Tourism Malaysia mengajak rakyat untuk berkarya dengan penganjuran pertandingan ini. Dalam mempromosikan Malaysia, peserta juga dapat menunjukkan bakat serta idea kreatif melalui platform digital yang luas capaiannya,” ucap Menteri YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri di dalam video promosi pertandingan.


Untuk maklumat lanjut termasuk terma dan syarat pertandingan, sila layari laman web Tourism Malaysia melalui pautan berikut: https://www.malaysia.travel/en/my.
-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysian tourism players urged to focus on domestic travel, events for recovery

Minister Nancy Shukri is seeking funding for online training courses for tourism frontliners

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is looking at ways of strengthening domestic tourism and restoring the travel confidence of locals, once it is safe to do so.

Speaking at a recent webinar organised by the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), entitled Protecting the Tourism Workforce, minister Nancy Shukri said domestic tourism will help to spur the local tourism industry which has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nancy called on inbound tour operators to create innovative programmes in rural areas as well as areas that have been neglected by tourism stakeholders, while the ministry will help with promotions.

She added: “We are also looking at providing online training to further enhance the skills and quality of services for tourism frontliners.”

For this purpose, the ministry has proposed to the Economic Action Council for limited training allowances to run online training courses.


Nancy urged inbound tour operators to make use of the ministry’s grants for domestic marketing and promotions of domestic business events for 2020.
-TTG Asia.

Cuti-cuti at Home Video Contest


Staying at home doesn’t have to be boring and unproductive. Unleash your creativity and produce a music video that describes your dream vacation with your family after the Movement Control Order (MCO) is over.
Win prizes by strutting your talent in singing, playing musical instruments and short sketches. Let’s be part of #CutiCutiAtHome and #CutiCutiMalaysia! This contest ends on 28 April 2020. Please read the Terms & Conditions for more information.
How to participate-
  1. Select one of our two (2) theme songs: Cuti-Cuti Malaysia or Visit Truly Asia Malaysia.
  2. Record yourself Singing, Playing a Musical Instrument or Performing a Sketch.
  3. Upload the video onto your Facebook or Instagram account and share the link in our Online Form. The post must be made public.
  4. Follow and tag Tourism Malysia's social media sites.
  5. Include the hashtags #CutiCutiAtHome #CutiCutiMalaysia
    For enquiries, email stayhomevideocontest@tourism.gov.my

Contest Submission Deadline : 28th April 2020 (subject to extension)

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tuesday 21 April 2020

Arabian Travel Market 2020 goes virtual

The Arabian Travel Market has been postponed to 2021 amid coronavirus fears

The Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the region’s biggest B2B travel event, has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak, organiser Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) said on Sunday.

The next edition will be held from May 16 to 19 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, following the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr celebrations.

“Decisions like this are never taken lightly. Discussions took place at the highest level both internally and externally with local and federal government, partners, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees who all endorsed our evaluation of the current situation and our decision to act once again, without delay,” said RTE in a statement.


RTE said it will be running an ATM Virtual Event from June 1 to 3, 2020 that includes webinars, live conference sessions, speed networking events, and one-on-one meetings.
-TTG Asia.

Sunday 19 April 2020

Pulau Tioman residents, tourists well taken care of

Pulau Tioman is free from Covid-19 infection. -NSTP/File pic

KUALA LUMPUR: Although they have been stranded on Pulau Tioman since the Movement Control Order (MCO) took effect on March 18, local residents feel safe as the island is free of Covid-19 infections.

Kampung Tekek village head Zurkarnaini Hamid said ferry services to Pulau Tioman had been halted during the MCO to ensure no outsiders landed on the island, located off the coast of Pahang.

“Thus far, the island is free from Covid-19. No one has tested positive for the virus and we feel safe here.

“This is thanks to the movement restrictions imposed here. We want to ensure no one either enters or leaves the island to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Like everywhere else in the country, we strictly adhere to the MCO, practise social distancing, stay home and take preventive measures to protect ourselves,” he told the New Straits Times.

Zurkarnaini added that frequent police patrols around the island had made the atmosphere safer and secure.

He said some 3,500 residents in six villages — Kampung Tekek, Kampung Salang, Kampung Juara, Kampung Mukut, Kampung Genting and Kampung Paya — had ample food supply.

“Although we cannot leave the island, there is no problem in getting food supply as the grocery stores still operate as usual.

“And the authorities are monitoring the situation on the island, too. They will send us aid should we face any problem.”

However, he said, villagers had lost their source of income during the MCO as many of them depended on the tourism activities on the island.

“They now have to rely on assistance from the federal and state governments, but everything is fine.

“The state government has distributed basic necessities such as rice and cooking oil to the villagers.”

On the 85 foreign tourists who were stranded on the Island, Zurkarnaini said their welfare was being taken care of.

“They were here before the MCO was enforced.

“They chose to stay put because their countries of origin pose a higher risk of Covid-19 infection.

“They are staying in chalets and are well taken care of by the operators.

“They may leave the island any time they want with the permission of police.”
-nst online.

Malaysia Ke Arah Destinasi Pilihan Pelancongan Islam


PUTRAJAYA, 17 APRIL 2020 - YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Menteri Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya Hajah yakin Malaysia akan menjadi destinasi pelancongan Islam tumpuan dunia pada masa hadapan. Segmen pelancongan Islam di Malaysia telah menunjukkan perkembangan yang positif dan memberansangkan dengan peningkatan dari aspek sumbangan kepada ekonomi dan juga kehadiran pelancong ke Malaysia. Segmen pelancongan Islam pada tahun 2019 telah berjaya menjana pendapatan RM16.72 bilion dengan anggaran jumlah kedatangan pelancong Muslim seramai 5.32 juta orang.

Pendapatan pelancongan Islam pada tahun 2019 telah meningkat sebanyak 0.72% dari RM16.60 bilion pada tahun 2018 ke RM16.72 bilion. Jumlah ketibaan pelancong Muslim juga turut meningkat dengan pertambahan 1.48% iaitu 5.25 juta orang pada tahun 2018 kepada 5.33 juta orang pada 2019.

Penyumbang utama pendapatan pelancongan Islam ialah negara Indonesia dengan pendapatan sebanyak RM7.3 bilion diikuti Singapura (RM2.9 bilion), Brunei (RM2.2 bilion), Arab Saudi (RM1.3 bilion), India (RM514 juta), Pakistan (RM442 juta), Iran (RM396 juta), China (RM276 juta), Oman (RM187 juta) dan Thailand (RM170 juta).

Pasaran pelancong dari negara Indonesia sekali lagi menjadi penyumbang utama kepada kedatangan pelancong Muslim ke Malaysia iaitu seramai 2,053,673 orang diikuti negara Singapura (1,422,943), Brunei (958,305), Bangladesh (158,236), Arab Saudi (112,943), India (104,414), Pakistan (101,950). Thailand (81,025), China (56,057) dan Iran (46,280).

Secara keseluruhan pasaran negara ASEAN merupakan pasaran utama pelancongan Islam dan merupakan penyumbang tersebar dalam segmen ini iaitu sebanyak RM12.7 billion. Ini diikuti dengan pasaran Asia Barat (RM2.1 bilion) dan pasaran Asia Selatan (RM1.1 bilion). Pusat Pelancongan Islam (ITC) telah melaksanakan pelbagai program termasuk latihan, pemasaran dan publisiti dalam dan luar negara disamping memperkenalkan Pengiktirafan Premis Penginapan Mesra Muslim (Muslim Friendly Accommodation Recognition - MFAR). Malahan, Malaysia juga telah diiktiraf sebagai tempat pertama dalam Laporan Global Muslim Travel Index dan destinasi Muslim Mesra-Wanita dalam Laporan Muslim Women in Travel oleh MasterCard dan CrescentRating pada tahun 2019.

YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri berkata Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya melalui Pusat Pelancongan Islam (ITC) akan terus melaksanakan pelbagai inisiatif untuk meningkat dan menjadikan Malaysia sebagai destinasi pelancongan Islam. Tambahan pula, segmen pelancongan Islam merupakan salah satu segmen yang penting bagi Kementerian ini untuk membantu serta memulihkan industri pelancongan negara. YB Menteri juga akan mengkaji skop dan fungsi ITC supaya peranannya dapat diperluaskan dengan fungsi yang lebih efektif dan holistik. Ini bagi memastikan industri pelancongan Islam terus diberi perhatian dan diperkasakan agar dapat memberikan impak yang signifikan kepada sosio-ekonomi negara. Beliau juga turut mendoakan agar COVID-19 dapat berakhir dengan segera serta berharap semua rakyat dapat memainkan peranan dengan mematuhi PKP dan #stayhome. Akhir kata Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan Al-Mubarak pada 1 Ramadhan 1441H.
-MOTAC.

Saturday 18 April 2020

Kampungstay Desa Murni - Follow, Like & Share Contest!


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The winner will win 50% DISCOUNT FROM THE REAL
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-Kampunstay Desa Murni.

Friday 17 April 2020

Covid-19: MATTA hopes Malaysian tourism will recover by June 2021

A crowd of tourists in Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur before the coronavirus outbreak. - Filepic

The country’s tourism sector is expected to have a slow recovery on the last quarter of the year and should stabilise by June next year, said the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta).

Its president Datuk Tan Kok Liang said the Covid-19 pandemic had hit local tourism stakeholders hard.

"Slow recovery is expected on the last quarter of this year and we hope the industry will stabilise by June 2021," he told StarLifestyle.

"Travel has become an integral part of our lifestyle the last couple of years, but this outbreak has put a brake on it since January this year, ” he added

Tan urges Malaysians to help the local travel sector recover by doing domestic holidays, once it is safe to do so.

“Our hospitality and leisure industry employs directly 1.3 million workers and with economic spin-offs.

"We need to be united to rebuild the industry and hence all Malaysians should consider supporting travel domestically for a start, ” he said.

Tan said the local tourism industry is a mature sector with some well-developed tourism destinations.

He added that a vacation close to home after the pandemic can provide travellers with more peace of mind.

"After the pandemic is over it recommended to travel closer to home. It is much easier for government or industry to do emergency evacuation within the country if similar pandemic occurs again.


"It also helps local airlines, licensed travel agents and hotels in terms of cash flows this will help them to revive their operation and sustainability, ” he said.
-thestar online.

Thursday 16 April 2020

Gloomy May for travel sector

Tourists flocking to Chew Jetty in Penang last May but this year, the crowds have disappeared due to the virus. — Filepic

EXPECTATION did not meet reality for the tourism and hospitality industry in Penang which has ground to a halt due to the coronavirus.

Before the threat surfaced, industry players were predicting a merry May due to the long stretches of holidays.

The public will be celebrating Labour Day on May 1, Wesak Day on May 7, Nuzul Al-Quran on May 11 and Hari Raya Aidilfitri most likely on May 25, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Penang Tourist Guides Association president Chin Poh Chin, who initially predicted a tourism bonanza in May, said she could only pray and hope that the virus disappears into thin air and never comes back again.
“After the pandemic is under control, it will still take travellers four to five months more to regain confidence in visiting other countries.

“Building back the economy and job stability will be the main priority of any country as almost all industries are affected.

“We hope the MCO can be lifted soon so that tourists can return to Penang.
“The tourism industry may take a while to recuperate but in the meantime, we can work to ensure we are ready to welcome visitors when the time comes, ” she said.

Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang chapter chairman Khoo Boo Lim said the pandemic had affected many industries but none worse than the tourism industry.

“As this year is Visit Malaysia Year 2020, we initially expected business to be good, especially in May due to the combination of good promotions and long weekends.

“However, everything has come to standstill under the travel bans imposed by different countries.

“Even if this pandemic comes under control, we may not see people travelling so soon in the near future.

“The hotels may take a while to recover and we are not optimistic that this will happen this year.

“The fear of coming into contact with people and risking being infected with the virus may still linger in the minds of travellers.

“However, I do hope that domestic tourism will receive some kind of boost to get the industry going by the last quarter of 2020, ” he said.

Lexis Suites Penang assistant communication manager Jason Chee said the management was initially looking forward to high occupancy in May due to the long weekends and additional direct flights to Penang.

“Sadly, the MCO has badly affected the tourism and hospitality industry.
“As the days go by, more and more workers are ‘required’ to go on unpaid leave and deal with pay cuts.

‘Many will be laid off if the situation does not improve in the coming months.

“With the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign called off, the snowball effect of all this is going to linger for months or even a couple of years.

“We have to ensure we sail through these tough times together and find the middle ground for all parties involved to move forward.


“We are thankful that the Federal Government and the state are doing their best to ensure some kind of assistance is provided to everyone, ” he said.
-thestar online.

Malaysia Airlines, MABkargo, Firefly and MASwings uphold national obligation


KLIA, 14 April 2020: Malaysia Airlines will be reinstating one time weekly flights to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Miri following requests by both state governments beginning this week.

The Kuala Lumpur-Kota Kinabalu-Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Lumpur-Miri-Kuala Lumpur sector will be operated on Thursdays, and on Fridays for the Kuala Lumpur-Kuching-Kuala Lumpur sector.

Its sister airline, MASwings will reinstate services to the Kuching-Sibu-Kuching route, a route it previously serviced under the Public Service Obligation, until it was commercialised and opened to other airlines to operate in January 2019. 

MASwings will maintain its daily flight schedule on the Miri-Bintulu-Miri and Sibu-Bintulu-Sibu routes.

The crossings between Kuala Lumpur to Sabah and Sarawak will be operated by Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 aircraft while the intrastate flights in Sarawak will be operated by the ATR 72.


Speaking on the reinstatements, Group CEO of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) Captain Izham Ismail said, “Following the nationwide Movement Control Order by the Government of Malaysia for the period between 18 March to 28 April 2020, all airlines under MAG have had to significantly reduce services across its entire network.

However, as the national airline of the country, we continue to serve the nation and our network by maintaining domestic and international connectivity mostly to facilitate essential movements. Our domestic services in Peninsular Malaysia are currently supported by Firefly and Malaysia Airlines continue to mount rescue and repatriation flights worldwide. We also ensure global supply chains are maintained for the most time-sensitive supplies via MABkargo, and we are happy for MASwings to continue connectivity between Kuching and Sibu for the sake of the local community there, besides our usual services.”
-Malaysia Airlines.

Tuesday 14 April 2020

Travel and tourism sector key to APAC’s economic recovery: WTTC

Tourism receipts in the Asia-Pacific region accounted for nearly 10 per cent of the region’s GDP last year; Universal Studios Theme Park in Osaka, Japan pictured

The travel and tourism industry will play a pivotal role in Asia-Pacific’s economic recovery, once the Covid-19 pandemic resolves, according to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

In its latest annual Economic Impact Report (EIR), WTTC shared that in 2019, travel and tourism generated US$2,971 billion towards GDP, or 9.8 per cent of the region’s economy, representing a 5.5 per cent growth from the previous year. This figure puts it ahead of the overall regional economy for the fifth consecutive year, which grew by 4.2 per cent.

International visitor spend totalled a staggering US$548 billion, representing 6.6 per cent of the region’s total exports.

This surge in tourism receipts was driven by the continued growth in middle income households, visa facilitation, improved connectivity and government prioritisation of the sector.

In addition, WTTC’s study also showed that over the last five years, the travel and tourism sector created more than 21 million new jobs in the region, accounting for 56 per cent of all new jobs globally.

As well, leisure travel makes up the majority of total travel and tourism spend (81 per cent), with only 19 per cent being attributed to business travel. When considering domestic and international spend, the numbers skewed similarly, with domestic visitor spend comprising 74 per cent of the total, and international making up 26 per cent.

China led the region in 2019 in terms of GDP and employment size, with strong performances in other major Asian markets such as Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The travel and tourism industry supports more jobs in China than in any other country in the region, accounting for nearly 80 million jobs, or 10.3 per cent of total employment. Last year, the travel and tourism economy in the country grew by 9.3 per cent and is the second largest in the world, making up 11.3 per cent of China’s overall economy.

Malaysia and Vietnam also witnessed significant growth, up 6.6 per cent and 7.7 per cent respectively, with both displaying an even split between domestic visitor spending (49 per cent) and spend from international (51 per cent). The majority of the travel and tourism spending in both countries overwhelmingly came from leisure travel, with Malaysia attributing 86 per cent of visitor spend to leisure, and Vietnam attributing 90 per cent.

The Philippines also saw significant growth by 8.6 per cent once again, making up 25.3 per cent of the total economy in the country and supporting 24.1 per cent of total employment, the equivalent of more than 10 million jobs. Leisure spending made up 66 per cent of total visitor spending, and 85 per cent was made up of domestic visitors.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC president & CEO, said: “WTTC’s 2019 EIR shows how intrinsic travel and tourism was last year to the economy in Asia-Pacific, making it the fastest growing region in the world in terms of its contribution to GDP, supporting more than 182 million jobs or 9.6 per cent of the total number of people employed.

“Our report underscores how vital travel and tourism will be in powering the recovery of the region’s economy, generating new jobs and driving visitors back to Asia-Pacific, having a positive economic domino effect on suppliers large and small throughout the industry.

“Until then, it is crucial that all governments throughout the region help to protect travel and tourism as the backbone of the regional and global economy, which is currently in a fight for survival. Our research shows that up to 75 million jobs globally are at immediate risk, with more than 48 million at risk across the Asia-Pacific region alone, highlighting how critically the sector requires support.”

On a global level, the travel and tourism sector outperformed the 2.5 per cent rate of global GDP growth for the ninth consecutive year in a row, thanks to an annual GDP growth rate of 3.5 per cent. This made it the global economy’s third highest sector in terms of GDP growth.

The EIR shows the sector supporting one in 10, or 330 million, jobs; making a 10.3 per cent contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.


A breakdown by WTTC shows Asia-Pacific to be the top performing region worldwide, with a growth rate of 5.5 per cent, followed very closely by the Middle East at 5.3 per cent. The US and EU both demonstrated a steady growth rate of 2.3 per cent, while the fastest growing country was Saudi Arabia, growing four times than the global average.
-TTG Asia.

Saturday 11 April 2020

Tourism Malaysia - History, Mission & Objectives


Tourism Malaysia - History

The Tourist Development Corporation of Malaysia (TDC) was established on 10 August 1972 as an agency under the former Ministry of Trade and Industry by an Act of Parliament.

With the inception of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism on 20 May 1987, TDC was moved to this new ministry; and became the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) through the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Act 1992. Popularly known as Tourism Malaysia, its full focus is on promoting Malaysia domestically and internationally.

Tourism Malaysia - Mission

Marketing Malaysia as a destination of excellence and to make the tourism industry a major contributor to the socio-economic development of the nation.

Tourism Malaysia - Objectives

Promote Malaysia as an outstanding tourist destination.

Showcase Malaysia's unique wonders, attractions and cultures.

Enhance Malaysia's share market for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE).

Increase Malaysia's tourism revenue by increasing tourist numbers to Malaysia and extend their length of stay.

Encourage tourism and its related industries in Malaysia.

Help develop domestic tourism and promote new investments in the country, as well as provide increased employment opportunities. The growth of tourism would also contribute positively to the country's economic development and quality of life.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Friday 10 April 2020

Tourism Contributes RM86.14 Billion To Malaysia Economy With 26.1 Million Tourists In 2019


PUTRAJAYA, 10 APRIL 2020: Malaysia’s economy was boosted with a total of RM86.14 billion in tourist receipts from the expenditure of 26,100,784 international tourists who visited Malaysia throughout 2019.

In tandem with small positive growth of tourist arrivals by +1.0% compared to 2018, the total tourist receipts contribution recorded a growth of +2.4%. Meanwhile, tourism performance also saw growth in terms of per capita expenditure, rising by +1.3% to RM3,300 while the Average Length of Stay (ALOS) climbed by +0.9 nights to 7.4 nights.

Top ten international tourist arrivals for 2019 were from Singapore (10,163,882), Indonesia (3,623,277), China (3,114,257), Thailand (1,884,306), Brunei (1,216,123), India (735,309), South Korea (673,065), Japan (424,694), The Philippines (421,908) and Vietnam (400,346).

Tourist arrivals growth was seen in South Asia (+22.2%), East Asia (+5.9%), Americas (+4.3%) and Europe (+0.3%) while declines were recorded for ASEAN (-1.3%) and West Asia (-2.1%) markets.

In terms of overall tourist expenditure, the ASEAN region remained the biggest contributor, contributing a total of RM43.72 billion. Meanwhile, West Asia tourists recorded the highest per capita expenditure with RM10,214 an increase of +2.7% compared with RM9,947 in 2018.

The top three distribution of tourist receipts went to shopping (33.6%), accommodation (24%) and food and beverages (13.3%). Once again, shopping receipts exceeded that of accommodation, growing from a 33.4% share in 2018 to 33.6% share in 2019.

Markets showing increase in average lengths of stay included West Asia (9.8 nights), Europe (8.8 nights), Americas (8.2 nights), East Asia (6.5 nights), South Asia (6.4 nights) and ASEAN (4.9 nights).
-Tourism Malaysia.

Kajian Pelancongan Domestik Di Malaysia Selepas Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Ditamatkan


Penularan wabak Covid-19 sememangnya telah banyak mempengaruhi cara hidup masyarakat sedunia ketika ini. Pergerakan masyarakat menjadi terhad; industri pelancongan hampir terjejas. Sehubungan itu, bagi mengkaji permintaan pelancongan domestik selepas tamat tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP), TOURISM MALAYSIA ingin menjemput anda untuk menyertai satu KAJI SELIDIK ringkas atas talian seperti pautan di bawah. Kajian ini amat bermakna bagi membangunkan semula industri pelancongan dan ekonomi negara.

Penyertaan anda dalam kajian ini amatlah dihargai.

Terima Kasih.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=r-EjYkahR0KrzPBK0p-nhcc1tNmOVoxNqqiNED3qtWBUN0FSSVg0QU8yNDkxQ0dPR0lTQzRXOUs4NC4u&fbclid=IwAR3jyncd5BCIwo5jFpsZ1w3qVov1v2-JyOHM8sBSzNSwHYJiU9zPs7PfCYA
-Tourism Malaysia.

Wednesday 8 April 2020

Malaysia charts course for tourism recovery


Tourism Malaysia plans to restart international promotion efforts from this September, and in the interim, focus will be on domestic recovery, and drumming up publicity around the country’s efforts to combat Covid-19.

To do so, the NTO will be leveraging social media and its overseas offices to dispense accurate information on what the Health Ministry has been doing to flatten the curve in Malaysia and protective measures against Covid-19 taken by the hospitality industry.

Efforts will also go towards strengthening the more than two-decade-old Malaysia Truly Asia branding and to build stronger branding within the international community for Malaysia as a preferred destination.

Musa Yusof, director-general at Tourism Malaysia, said that once the outbreak has been contained locally, the board’s immediate plan is to “refocus on domestic tourism to increase demand for the travel trade and related services, including airlines, accommodation, land transportation, retail and F&B”.

As part of the effort, Tourism Malaysia will work closely with industry partners to organise physical and virtual travel fairs. It will also encourage business event organisers to hold their events domestically.

Musa was speaking at Tourism Virtual Summit, a webinar held on April 7, which was organised by Tourism Productivity Nexus with the support of Malaysia Productivity Corporation.

To support the travel trade with international promotions post-pandemic, Musa said that Tourism Malaysia is looking at increasing the threshold of its matching grant to RM35,000 (US$8,040) per company for participation at international trade fairs, from RM15,000 previously.

He added that there were also plans to revive joint promotions and tactical campaigns with strategic airline partners and outbound travel operators overseas which had been put on hold due to Covid-19. This includes collaborations with domestic carriers such as Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia and foreign airlines including Turkish Airways, Emirates and Etihad.

He said that support for tour operators will also be introduced at a later stage for both overseas tour operators selling Malaysia as well as their inbound counterparts.

Post Covid-19 period, Musa envisages a growth in demand for FIT travel and experiential tourism as tourists become more sensitive to the call for social distancing and may shun group travel.


Tourism Malaysia will also organise familiarisation trips for key opinion leaders and media outlets specialising in niche segments exhibiting promising growth, such as sports tourism, agro tourism and health tourism.
-TTG Asia.

Sepang International Circuit Sees Change Of Chief Executive Officer After More Than 11 Years


SEPANG, Wednesday, 8 April 2020 - Sepang International Circuit (SIC) welcomed Azhan Shafriman Hanif as its new Chief Executive Officer today following the completion of Dato’ Razlan Razali’s tenure as CEO on 7 April 2020. No stranger to the motorsports sector, Shafriman is moving to SIC from his previous role as Head of Strategic Alliance in PETRONAS Brand Department. A mechanical engineer by training – majoring in manufacturing and material science, he has been part of the PETRONAS team for more than 13 years.

Learning about the motorsports sector from PETRONAS leaders and industry captains, Shafriman spearheaded the sponsorship unit at PETRONAS over the past decade, focusing on motorsports platforms. This enabled him to amass a wealth of experience in activating motorsports sponsorships and strategic partnerships with OEMs from a corporate perspective, monitoring and evaluating talent development performance in both 2-wheel and 4-wheel motorsports and creating branding exposure through motorsports sponsorship platforms in the F1, MotoGP and Cub Prix. In recent years, PETRONAS has gained global prominence as the title sponsor and technical partner for the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, and is also now the official fuel supplier for Moto2 and Moto3 in the MotoGP World Championship – a significant recognition of PETRONAS’ Fluid Technology Solutions for the demanding global motorsports arena.

Commenting on his appointment, Shafriman said, “It is a great honour to be entrusted with this job. Dato’ Razlan has left big shoes to fill, but I believe I can offer a unique perspective in this role, following my years at PETRONAS. With the world facing an unprecedented challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having a strong footing in the commercial side of motorsports will be a good launching point for my tenure at SIC, while I gain a firmer grasp of the operations side of things. Nevertheless, in my previous role in PETRONAS, I have had the privilege to provide feedback to SIC on its facilities and amenities – thus offering another starting point for me at SIC while I familiarise myself with a hands-on role as CEO.”

Shafriman said he aims to work with the team to tackle the business shortfall in the short term, strategising the way forward amidst the current economic uncertainties. In the mid-term, he targets to focus on operational excellence, governance and process control, with sustainability efforts and new partnerships being long-term focus areas. “During this period, it is crucial to look at harvesting the low hanging fruits by prioritising the right focus areas and executing the best strategy we have. We need to set clear joint objectives, and seek the best outcome to achieve it.”

Meanwhile, Tan Sri Azman Yahya, Chairman of Sepang International Circuit expressed confidence that Shafriman would lead the team to success in taking the circuit to greater heights, building upon the achievements of the past years.

“Shafriman is someone capable and passionate, and well-versed in the ins and outs of the motorsports world. We will use the foundation laid by Dato’ Razlan Razali during his tenure as CEO to further develop the circuit from strength to strength. Across more than 11 years, Dato’ Razlan made a tremendous impact on the circuit with his deep and unrelenting enthusiasm for motorsports and his unflagging passion and dedication to always doing more. We are grateful for his contributions.”

As CEO, Shafriman will oversee the completion of the SIC Master Plan activated in 2014, which seeks to turn the circuit into Asia's cutting edge sports and edutainment hub – a multifaceted facility that draws repeat visits throughout the year. About 60% of the initiatives for circuit development detailed in the Master Plan have been executed, including the SIC Motorsport Business Park, enhancement and expansion of facilities such as the construction of a new South Paddock and Paddock Chalets, installation of circuit lights allowing for night racing for the first time. Upcoming developments in the near future include a Driving Experience Centre and off-road circuit, while longer term plans include a drag circuit, hotel and theme park within SIC’s 300 hectare grounds.

A new chapter for Sepang International Circuit
The passing of the baton closes a chapter for the circuit as well as for Dato’ Razlan, who has been at the helm for 11.5 years since his appointment on 8 October 2008. Moving forward, Dato’ Razlan will be focusing full time on his role and responsibilities as the Team Principal of PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team in the Motorcycle Grand Prix Championship (MotoGP). By taking on the role full time, Dato’ Razlan will be able to focus on strengthening activation and engagement with sponsors, attracting new sponsors, improving the team’s function as a platform for Malaysians to compete in the MotoGP, and also strengthening the team’s corporate governance.


“It has been an amazing journey leading the Sepang International Circuit team. What we have achieved in the past decade is truly a team effort – it would not have been possible without the full support and commitment of not just the team at SIC, but also from our partners and stakeholders. Although I will still be around as the Team Principal of PETRONAS Sepang Racing Team, I am definitely going to miss working alongside the SIC team. I wish them and the new CEO great success,” Dato’ Razlan said.
-Sepang International Circuit.