PLUS Issues Travel Advisory For Labour Day & Wesak Day Holidays

Those planning to use the North-South Expressway (NSE) during the upcoming Labour Day and Wesak Day holidays between 30 April and 5 May are urged to follow and plan their journey based on PLUS‘ Travel Time Advisory schedule.

PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) expects traffic on the North-South Expressway (NSE) to increase as compared to during normal days. As such, PLUS advises the public to plan their journey based on the TTA.

The TTA, which was also issued during previous festive seasons and peak days has helped to facilitate smoother traffic flow on the highways.

The TTA is a staggered travelling schedule for various destinations along the North-South Expressway. It is part of PLUS’ strategies to distribute the traffic and reduce traffic congestion on the mainline, rest areas and toll plazas.

PLUS also advises the public to contact the toll free PLUSLine 1800 88 0000, follow the PLUSTrafik Twitter service or download the PLUS Mobile Application through their smartphones or tablets for the latest traffic updates on the highways.

-http://www.plus.com.my/

Skyrides Festival Park Impetus To Brand Putrajaya Tourism Destination

photo: MOTAC facebook

PUTRAJAYA, April 29 (Bernama) -- As a new iconic tourist destination, Skyrides Festival Park Putrajaya is set to become the impetus to brand the administrative capital as another tourism destination in the country, says Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

At the new family-oriented theme park, he said visitors would experience the thrill of soaring into the sky at a height of 120 metres above on the Skyrides Balloon, Malaysia's first and biggest tethered balloon.

As an aesthetically-balanced recreation hub for the young and old alike, he said the Skyrides Festival Park - built in the vicinity of scenic Putrajaya Lake - complemented the existing tourist hotspots in the city, such as the Putra Mosque, the adjacent Millennium Monument, Perdana Putra and Putra Bridge.

"Skyrides Festival Park will also contribute to the realisation of our target to achieve 29.4 million visitor arrivals and RM89 billion in tourism receipts under the Malaysia Year of Festival (MyFest) 2015," he said at the opening ceremony of Skyrides Festival Park here today.

Also present were the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng, Perbadanan Putrajaya president, Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat and Marina Putrajaya Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Zaharah Selamat.

Mohamed Nazri said it was targeted that approximately two million tourists would visit panoramic Putrajaya this year. "This will be a significant increase from the previous year's statistics of 1.85 million tourists to Putrajaya," he said.

The new-family oriented theme park, located next to the Alaf Baru Monument is officially open to the public on May 1, and open daily all year round from 10am to 10pm daily.

The Skyrides Festival Park also includes the SkyWarrior Rainforest Adventure, SkyKids, SkyGallery, SkyDemo, SkyTaste and Sky Cruise which offer an integrated combination of fun, food and enjoyable pastime.
-bernama.

KLIA To Have Its Own Shopping Mall

photo: Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang facebook

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- Travellers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will have their very own shopping mall to spend time at, in between catching flights to destinations.

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang will open on May 30 and is sited very near the KLIA and directly accessible from the highway.

It will feature an exciting array of offerings, ranging from luxury and branded products, fashion apparels and accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, chocolates and confectionery, kids and sports wear, to household items and luggage.

It will also offer a scrumptious choice of gastronomic delights and spanning 24,000 square metres of space under the first phase of its development.

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang is the result of a joint venture (JV) between Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB). The outlet will be managed by the JV company, MFMA Development Sdn Bhd (MFMA).

In a statement today, MFMA said the facility will gradually be completed to about 130 stores by late July.

"There are plans to expand the facility in 2018, as well as 2021, to become the largest outlet mall in Southeast Asia with about 250 stores and floor space of about 44,000 square metres," it added.

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang will provide a flight information display system to enable travellers to keep tabs on their flights without leaving the premises, as well as flight SITA check-in KIOSK services and a free baggage storage service.

Mitsui Fudosan is a reputable Japanese real estate and retail property developer, while MAHB manages most of the airports in Malaysia. MFMA is 70 per cent owned by Mitsui Fudosan with MAHB having a 30 per cent stake. MFMA will lease the land owned by MAHB, and be responsible for constructing the buildings, and leasing it to tenants.
-bernama.

Huge Potential For Health Tourism In Sabah - Masidi

KOTA KINABALU, April 29 (Bernama) -- Health tourism in Sabah has a huge potential following the establishment of more private hospitals with the medical expertise and facilities designed to meet international standards.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said with the medical expertise and proper hospital facilities in Sabah, he was confident the state would be a prefered destination.

For instance, he said, the establishment of Gleneagles Hospital which was expected to open in May, here, could help promote and boost health tourism in Sabah.

"At least I will have more confidence in promoting Sabah because we also have a hospital that is as good as anywhere in the world," he told reporters after the state cabinet's visit to the private hospital, here, today.

The visit was led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

Gleneagles Hospital, located along the Coastal Highway at the city centre of Kota Kinabalu, is also poised to be the new private referral centre in East Malaysia, including drawing patients among others from Indonesia, Brunei, Korea, Japan and China.

It will also cater to the healthcare needs of the local residents and the surrounding areas including Tawau, Sandakan and Labuan, with a total of 200 nurses of whom 90 per cent are Sabahans, including 20 per cent who used to work abroad but have returned to serve in Sabah.

Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu chief executive officer Jean-Francois Naa said the hospital also worked together with five-star hotels in Sabah in providing a health screening package for patients who came as tourists.

"They (tourists) can have it (health screening) done at an affordable price and which is of the same (international) standard. This developmental effort is towards promoting health tourism in Sabah," he said.
-bernama.

ETP: Tourism Sector, Sixth Highest Contributor For Malaysian Economy

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's tourism sector was the sixth highest contributor to the country's economy in 2014, with the new record in tourism arrivals growing to 27.4 million and receipts at RM72 billion compared with RM65.4 billion in 2013.

According to the Economic Transformation Report 2014, the results highlighted the industry's resilience despite the nation's twin aviation tragedies in the first half of 2014.

"The ministry took steps to adapt to the needs of this dynamic industry, intensifying promotions to other markets to counter the decreasing demand from the Chinese market," the report said.

Overall the Tourism National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) achieved 132 per cent of the Key Performance Index (KPIs) of its 12 Entry Point Projects (EPPs) as a result of close collaboration and the continued efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC), Transport Ministry, Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, other government agencies as well as private sector.

The report revealed that a total of 362,280 delegate days were generated with the efforts taken by Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) and industry partners, surpassing their target KPI of 230,000 delegate days.

This achievement, according to the report, was accomplished by securing several large conventions, incentive groups and exhibitions that totalled 152 events secured or supported throughout the year.

The 2014 annual report stated that Malaysian tourism benefitted significantly with international attendees increasing from 97,211 in 2013 to 110,899 last year, surpassing their target of 63,400.

"Efforts will be more focused on identifying high-potential landmark events to complement MyFest 2015, and heightened engagement with the private sector to help bid for more international events," the report said.

Other than that, golf revenue rose 2.6 percent to RM312 million in 2014, led by the efforts of Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysian Gold Tourism Association (MGTA), with the Best Golf Destination in Asia awarded in inaugural edition of the World Golf Awards in 2014.

Another EPP is the Malaysia Mega Biodiversity Hub that attracted a total of 875,694 visitors, last year.

In order to capture the international cruise tourism market, that is growing at an average of 14 percent annually, the EPP supports the ongoing development of a vibrant cruise network utilising the strategic nautical corridor along historic Straits of Melaka and the exotic island of Borneo.

Malaysia was adding top-tier port capacity with an upcoming privately-developed cruise terminal in Melaka where a MoU haS been signed between Royal Caribbean International and Melaka Gateway that will be launched in early 2017.

The Bukit Bintang-Kuala Lumpur City Centre also garner additional recognition as world class shopping destination in 2014, while Kuala Lumpur ranked among the world's top 12 value-for-money tourist cities by TripAdvisor, a leading online travel website.

MOTAC will step up its marketing and promotion activities to ensure that Malaysia's luxury outlet centres were well-publicised to international tourists.
-bernama.

Jakarta welcomes 4th Asia Golf Tourism Convention

510 delegates from 40 countries attend Asia’s most important golf tourism event

More than 500 delegates from 40 countries around the world have converged on Jakarta to participate in the 4th annual IAGTO Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) – Asia’s most important golf tourism event.

AGTC 2015, taking place at the Jakarta Convention Center from 27 to 29 April, brings together golf tour operators from as far afield as North America, Europe, Australasia, Russia and South Africa selling golf holidays to Asia as well as golf courses, golf resorts, hotels and other tourism suppliers from golf destinations throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Following the official welcome ceremony at Senayan National Golf Club on Monday, 27 April, the convention gets under way with opening addresses by civic dignitaries from Jakarta and IAGTO’s Chief Executive, Peter Walton.

Walton said: “There are 371 golf tour operators worldwide selling golf holidays to Asia and over half of these are in Jakarta to experience the city’s golf tourism product and to develop golf programmes to promote to golf travellers in all major markets worldwide. These golf tour operators, or ‘buyers’, have travelled from 34 countries and have already pre-scheduled more than 4,000 meetings, making this the most important annual golf tourism event for the Asia Pacific’s golf tourism industry.”

Of the 158 participating supplier companies, a record 38 are from Indonesia with 21 of these being golf courses, hotels and inbound tour operators from Jakarta and the Bogor Highlands.

Walton added: “The strength of the delegation from across Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Bintan Island, is a good indication of the importance of golf tourism to the country and is an important step on the road to doubling the value of golf tourism to Indonesia.

“There was enormous interest throughout the golf tourism industry when Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Dr Sylviana Murni, announced at last year’s AGTC in China that Jakarta was to host the event this year, and this anticipation has helped to grow the awareness of Jakarta’s great appeal as a golf destination over the past 12 months. ”

There has been a strong upturn in buyer attendance from China, with 35 golf tour operators attending this year’s AGTC, along with buyers from 34 other countries including Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand and long-haul markets including the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, France, Russia and South Africa. In total almost 180 buyer delegates are attending the event.

Purba Hutapea, Executive Director of Jakarta Tourism, said: “This week’s event is just one part of a long-term golf tourism strategy that we have already been developing and implementing already now for three years. In 2011 IAGTO carried out a golf tourism audit in the city and identified that 21 of our 30 golf courses were tourism friendly, or ‘export ready’. The value of golf tourism to Jakarta was calculated to be close to US$50 million and, just as importantly, there was an existing capacity to double this. Staging AGTC this year is part of this long-term strategy and an essential step in achieving this goal.”

He continued: “Golf visitors spend, on average, 120% more per person per day and therefore represent a high-revenue, low-impact market which is exactly what we wish to attract. Currently only 44% of all golf tour operators selling golf holidays to Asia, feature and promote Indonesia, so hosting AGTC is a tremendous opportunity for us to immediately increase the exposure of Jakarta as the greatest City Golf destination in Asia.”

-http://www.iagto.com/

DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team Head To Jerez For First European Race Of The Year

Spain –Monday 27th April

Circuit: Circuito de Jerez
Circuit Length: 4.4 km

The DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team return to Europe ready for action, as the Championship embarks on its first European Grand Prix of the season at the Circuito de Jerez, Spain.

Jakub Kornfeil, who showed his ability to battle with the leaders at the South American circuit, will be looking for redemption following his challenging but progressive Grand Prix weekend in Argentina. Determined to continue his point scoring succession, the Czech rider is feeling optimistic and ready to claim his top ten finish.

Zulfahmi Khairuddin is set to raise the bar in Jerez after a disappointing end to his Argentine GP didn’t reflect his pace and progress throughout the free practice sessions. With renewed fortitude the Malaysian rider has high hopes to improve his performance and fight for the points at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager

“We go to Jerez with three races under our belt. Following the race in Argentina, I believe we can do well at this next Grand Prix, especially with Jakub. He his feeling very confident with the bike now, so I hope he can continue to progress like this. When we were in Jerez for the final preseason test we didn’t have an opportunity to test much in the dry, like our competitors did who were there previously, so we could be a bit behind at the beginning. Nevertheless we will be working as hard as possible to be competitive from the start. With Fahmi he needs to continue like he did in the free practice sessions in Argentina. His qualifying again let him down, so this is where he must really focus and improve. We are all aware about what we need to do and how we can work on this as a team. To be stronger, we must plan our sessions a bit better, which I believe will be easier now we are in Europe because we have more knowledge and experience with the KTM. The Moto3 class is new to us but after these first three races we are a lot more prepared, so there are no excuses. We must get going, collect more points and better our performance and that is what we will be aiming for this weekend.”

#63 Zulfahmi Khairuddin

“Since the final preseason test at Jerez in March, we have improved the set-up of the bike a lot. I have a good feeling with the KTM now and after Argentina I feel I can push more. We are getting closer to the front group, which we have shown in the practice sessions at the last two Grand Prix’s. Now I must carry this through to the Qualifying to make sure we have a better chance in the race. My aim in Jerez is to collect some points. I know it will be difficult but it’s not impossible. We have to be competitive from FP1 and qualify better than we have so far. We have already shown at the test that we are quite fast in the wet at Jerez but now we have to be fast also in the dry. With the bike setup I have and a team who always support me, I believe we can have a good weekend in Jerez.”

#84 Jakub Kornfeil

“This is the first European race of the year, so I’m looking forward to heading to Spain. I think the Jerez Grand Prix will be good and a very interesting race. I think like Argentina it is possible to have a big leading group battling for the podium, which is always more fun, both for the riders and the fans watching. At Jerez I believe we have a lot of potential to be at the front. We are much happier with the set up that we have now and I am feeling more comfortable and confident on the bike. The only thing we need to improve a little is the speed. This will be one of the most important things for us at the Jerez track. If we can do this, I think the Honda and KTM can be competitive together.”

-SIC Racing Team facebook.

PelanconganKini supported DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team.

Note: New DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team Polo T-shirt & Round Neck T-shirt is now available at http://www.m7shop.com/home.aspx

#ASEAN: Najib Launches ASEAN Travel Channel, GOASEAN

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday launched GOASEAN, the world's first ASEAN-focused travel channel in conjunction with the 26th ASEAN Summit held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here.

GOASEAN aimed to bring the hidden gems of each ASEAN member states and present it together to the world as a single treasure trove waiting to be explored.

It is expected to boost the travel industry's growth, promote intra-ASEAN travel and enhance appreciation for ASEAN's leisure attracttions.

The channel was also aimed to model ASEAN as a single tourist destination after the success of Europe.

The 24/7 channel would start airing at Astro Channel 737 this June and later on other platforms including internet protocol television, direct to home, digital and mobile.

Established in 1967, ASEAN comprises 10 countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
-bernama.
http://www.goasean.com/

Muhyiddin Hopes Local Golfers Can Tee Off In The Olympics

photo: PelanconganKini

PUTRAJAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin hoped local golfers will make the cut for next year's Olympics in Brazil.

He said, with the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour now providing world ranking points in co-sanctioned events with the Asian Development Tour, that dream was attainable if all golfers set their mind to it and put in the necessary hard work.

"As you know, golf will make a long-awaited return to the Olympics in 2016, I see many of our top professionals, amateurs and juniors here tonight and I am sure all of you dream of representing our country in the Olympics.

"I truly hope that some of the golfers present here today will become Olympians one day and keep the Malaysian flag flying high, if not in the Rio Olympics next year, then certainly in future Olympics," he said in his speech at the Malaysian Golf Awards here, today.

Muhyiddin said, over the last decade or so, Asian countries like Korea, India and Thailand had excelled on the world stage to bring glory to their countries.

Therefore, he said, there was no reason why Malaysia cannot produce its Anirban Lahiris (India) and Thongchai Jaidees (Thailand).

"The infrastructure is there, we have hundreds of golf courses and many golf academies along with year-round amateur and junior circuits plus a thriving professional tour.

"We want Malaysia to not only produce world-class golfers, but to also be a desired golf destination amongst international golfers," he said.

He said collaboration between relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysian Golf Association, Malaysian Golf Tourism Association, golf clubs, hotels and media would be instrumental to unlocking this goal.

Muhyiddin later presented the 2014 Merit Award for Services to Golf to the late Captain William Eustace Van Geyzel, 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award to the late Tun Hamid Omar, 2014 Best Overall Golf Experience Award to The Els Club Teluk Datai and 2014 Golf Club of The Year Award to Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
-bernama.

SMILES IN THE PARK @ Sarawak Cultural Village ( 5 & 6 June 2015 )

"SMILES IN THE PARK" is the kick-off to the SMILES Music Festival Initiative, starting on the 5th & 6th of June 2015, SMILES IN THE PARK is an event that aims to generate a significant amount of funds to directly benefit the Semenggoh Wildlife Center for Orang Utan rehabilitation , achieved through minimized overhead cost and maximized ticket sales. The intention is to allow the beneficiary organization to use these funds as an accelerator to achieve positive results in their respective goals. The concert is the vehicle that rallies people together towards a worthy cause.

SMILES IN THE PARK JUNE 2015 Will Feature two days of music with two different genre's. Day 1 on the 5th of June 2015 will feature an EDM STAGE with names like, Djane Geri, Jakeman & Skeletor, as well as SonaOne, K - Town Clan and Dj Leng Yein.

Day 2 on the 6th of June 2015, SMILES IN THE PARK will feature' Malaysian Jazz Queen Sheila Majid in a full blown live concert to celebrate Sheila Majid's 30th Year In Music, SMILES IN THE PARK will also feature Artiste such as W.A.R.I.S, Shae from Indonesia and Mark Adam. Malaysian famed comedians JAMBU will be hosting day 2 of SMILES IN THE PARK.

SMILES IN THE PARK is a NOT FOR PROFIT event as such this is a call to action to save the Orang Utan, it is the hope of SMILES IN THE PARK organizers that Malaysia and the world will answer this call to action by purchasing a SMILES IN THE PARK ticket and being apart of the #SavetheplanetSavehumanity call to action. 

Date: 5 & 6 June 2015
Time: 5.30pm until midnight
Venue: Sarawak Cultural Village, Malaysia

Get your tickets from:

1. Online at www.AirAsiaRedtix.com
2. Rock Corner outlets:	The Gardens, Mid Valley (TEL: 03 - 2201 4893)
	KLCC (TEL: 03 - 2181 5560)
	Subang Parade (TEL: 03 - 5613 1139)
	The Curve (TEL: 03 - 7733 1139)
3. Victoria Music outlets:	Sg Wang(TEL: 03 - 2148 7208)
	Amcorp (TEL: 03 - 7956 0592)
	Tropicana (TEL: 03 - 7722 2955)
4. Penang outlets:	Artist Gallery, Gurney Plaza
	Artist Gallery, Queensbay Mall

-AirAsia RedTix

European Tourists Main Bulk Of International Visitors To Pulau Tioman

Juara Beach, Tioman. photo: http://www.101bestbeaches.com/malaysia

ROMPIN, April 24 (Bernama) -- Pulau Tioman, an island of the famed legend of two dragons appears to have charmed European tourists as they made up more than half of the foreign visitors here last year.

In 2014, more than 57 per cent or 18,886 foreign tourists out of the 33,090 foreigners who came to the island were visitors from Europe with a large number of them from Germany.

Tioman Development Authority (TDA) general manager Datuk Hashim Mat Tahir told Bernama the rest comprised Germans (5,734), French (4,730), British (4,384), Indians (3,886), Chinese (3,519), Australians (2,764), Americans (2,458), Dutch (2,362), Swedes (1,680) and Iranians (1,573).

Overall, the island received 268,784 visitors last year, a 16 per cent increase from 232,102 in 2013 while in 2012, there were 214,482 tourist arrivals, he said.

However, domestic visitors and those from ASEAN made up 82 per of the overall total in 2014.

Hashim said the number of tourists to the island could be further increased if there were alternative modes of transportation to Pulau Tioman apart from the ferry service from Tanjung Gemok, here or Mersing in Johor.

"About 95.5 per cent of the visitors use the ferry while 4.5 per cent came by air. However the ferry service is disrupted during the monsoon season from November to January," he said.

He said many were however not aware that Pulai Tioman which is located in the South China Sea has its own airport in Kampung Tekek with a 992-metre runway.

"There was a regular air service to Pulau Tioman operated by Berjaya Air using a De Havilland Dash 7 aircraft with a capacity for 48 passengers but it was discontinued due to the high cost of maintenance and the production of aircraft has stopped.

"For the time being, the charter air service provided by Systematic Aviation Services (SAS) from Subang or Senai, is rather costly as it is based on request," he said.

Therefore, to ensure tourist arrivals all year round, the late Rompin MP, Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis had proposed extending the island's airport runway, he said.

Hashim said Jamaluddin saw the runway if extended could accommodate the ATR-72 aircraft used by several low-cost carriers in the country to land directly in Pulau Tioman.

Many however have questioned if there were tourists who wish to visit when the sea is rough and Hashim was quick to reply that some tourists actually looked forward to the monsoon season waves for surfing.

For accommodation, there are 2,089 rooms provided by 78 resorts at Salang, Air Batang, Tekek, Paya, Genting, Mukut and Juara in which 50 per cent are categorised as luxury, 30 per cent moderate and 20 per cent are budget rooms.

"TDA in its effort to improve and raise the standard of existing accommodation to ensure the comfort of visitors, will expand the number of luxury hotels as a lure for international tourists," he said.

Hashim said apart from enjoying the beauty of 29 kilometres of sandy beaches and sea at warm temperature, tourists could also carry out activities such as snorkelling to marvel at 183 species of coral reefs and various types of fish in the waters of Pulau Tioman.

"One can also go trekking to the waterfall and view the wildlife of the island which included 33 species of mammals, 67 species of birds, 21 types of lizards, and 17 species of amphibians.

"For those who love outdoor and extreme experience, there is rock climbing at Kampung Juara and Kampung Mukut," he said, adding that development at Pulau Tioman was being carried out carefully to preserve its ecological system.
-bernama.

6 distinct traveller groups to emerge by 2030: Amadeus report

As travellers become increasingly empowered with the proliferation of technology and social media, six groups of travellers with distinct motivations and personalities will emerge by 2030, according to a new report released by Amadeus yesterday.

Angel Gallego, president, Amadeus Asia-Pacific, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Travellers are increasingly complex, empowered, and no longer want to be siloed into demographic groups of age, nationality and income. By 2030, hyper-customisation will be the default expectation among many customers.”

The Future Traveller Tribes 2030 report identified six traveller types: “social capital seekers” who plan holidays based on online peer reviews and recommendations, “cultural purists” who seek authenticity, “ethical travellers” who make travel plans based on moral or environmental grounds, “simplicity searchers” who prefer bundled offers, “obligation meeters” driven by a specific travel purpose, and “reward hunters” interested only in indulgent luxury travel.

With these identified clusters, Gallego said: “It is now particularly critical for all providers, buyers and sellers of travel to start making the right investment decisions gearing towards these future traveller preferences.

“The amount of breadcrumbs that we as travellers are leaving behind in terms of clues and information that are digitally flying somewhere is more than ever before, but it is not tapped.

“There is a requirement of human intervention, such as artificial intelligence, which is a concept that allows you to know what a traveller wants at real time that is not thinkable at this point.”

As such, he said Amadeus will be using the findings with partners to explore a future travel experience that is “more personalised, connected and sustainable”.

By 2030, more than 1.8 billion people will travel internationally every year, up from 1.1 billion last year.

-TTG Asia.

eni FIM Superbike World Championship @ Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia ( 31 July - 2 August 2015 )

eni FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (also known as SBK) is the premier international superbike Championship founded in 1988.

The eni FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP has grown into a world-class professional racing series. Many of the riders that competed in SBK over the years are household names among motorcycle racing fans.

The race was once held in Malaysia 20 years ago, and with the success of MotoGP and the ever increasing popularity of two-wheel motorsport, Malaysia through its world-class circuit Sepang International Circuit brought back this exciting world championship in 2014 placing Sepang as the only round in Asia.

This 2015, witness one of the biggest motorcycling races in the world with the 2nd year and return of eni FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP from 31st July to 2nd August 2015.
-http://www.sepangcircuit.com/default.aspx

101BESTBEACHES.COM Features Top Malaysian Beaches

PUTRAJAYA, 22 April 2015: Beautiful beaches and islands are in abundance in Malaysia. Tourists can now make better choices on which one to go by visiting www.101bestbeaches.com/malaysia, which lists 15 of the best beaches in Malaysia, according to famous beach critic and conservationist Brad Farmer.

Among those featured on the site, which was launched on 10 April, include Pangkor Island, Perak; Batu Feringghi Beach, Penang; Coral Bay and Pasir Panjang Beach, Terengganu; Juara Beach, Pahang; Desaru Beach, Johor; Mabul Island and Mantanani Islands, Sabah; and Damai Beach, Sarawak.

This is the first time Malaysia’s beaches are being assessed and examined firsthand by a qualified and internationally renowned beach expert. Farmer rates the beaches on a variety of criteria, such as budget, scenic views, activities, ease of travel, conservation efforts, and the pristine condition of the beaches.

Farmer has been writing bestselling books on beaches for over 30 years and he was a former Senate Adviser on coastal issues in Australia. He has travelled to over 35 beach nations to explore and write about beaches, coastal environments and seaside communities.

The website is expected to attract more local and foreign travellers to visit beaches and islands in Malaysia, which is timely, as the country is celebrating the Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015. 

Last year, Malaysia received a total of 27.4 million tourists. This year, the Government has set a target of 29.4 million tourist arrivals, with RM89 billion in tourist receipts.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia visitors get information, discounts through special new booklet

photo: MOTAC facebook

A travel guide cum discount booklet known as Super Pass was launched yesterday to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination.

The booklet highlights Kuala Lumpur’s tourist attractions, nightlife, restaurants and shopping malls and at the same time, act as a discount voucher book with savings of up to 70 per cent on retail, F&B and attractions.

Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia secretary-general, Ong Hong Peng, who launched the booklet, said: “Merchants will benefit from increased exposure and market reach while tourists will be able to enjoy the best of Malaysia for less, and with the savings, be able to extend their holidays.”

Alex Wong, senior manager – global marketing at Apollo Knight, publisher of the booklet, said there are more than 70 merchants currently and more will come onboard in the coming months.

While most merchants are located in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, the company will intensify its efforts to get more merchants on board from other areas such as Malacca, Ipoh and Langkawi.

Overseas visitors can better plan their holidays in Malaysia with the booklet, which can be purchased via a link provided in MyFest 2015 website. Upon arrival in Malaysia, the booklet can be collected at designated counters in the airport and at 7-Eleven outlets.

According to Tourism Malaysia statistics, shopping contributed to 30 per cent of tourist expenditure in 2014.

-TTG Asia.

Tourism & Culture Minister Leads Delegation To Promote MyFest In Central Asia

photo: MOTAC facebook

ALMATY, 22 APRIL 2015: The Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz is leading a weeklong sales mission to Almaty, Kazakhstan and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, beginning 21 April. The visit is also in conjunction with the country’s participation in the Kazakhstan International Travel Fair (KITF) 2015, which is a leading travel and tourism trade exhibition in Central Asia.

The sales mission and the participation in KITF are in line with Tourism Malaysia’s continuous efforts to raise awareness on the celebration of the Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFest) 2015. Besides that, it also aims to promote the country as a top-of-mind holiday destination for travellers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other countries in the Central Asian region.

The Tourism and Culture Minister is leading a Malaysian delegation comprising 25 industry players from 20 organisations to participate in the 15th edition of KITF, which will be held from 22 to 24 April. They include the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Putrajaya Corporation and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), as well as tour operators and hotel.

This year marks Malaysia’s 14th year of participation in KITF, which is a testament of its commitment to make the country a premier destination for travellers from the Central Asian market.

“Our participation in the 15th edition of KITF this year is extra special. We are honoured and proud to be made the Partner Country, which I understand is the second time being offered to a country,” said Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri in his speech during the opening ceremony of KITF today.

“Malaysia is pleased to be given this golden opportunity, which is timely to promote the Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 or MyFest to the Central Asian market,” the Tourism and Culture Minister added. 

As Partner Country, Malaysia will be in the spotlight of KITF 2015. It allows the country’s fascinating tourism offerings and world-class hospitality services to be promoted extensively. Besides highlighting MyFest, Tourism Malaysia will be taking the full advantage of this excellent platform to reach out to industry players and members of the media in the region.

During the opening ceremony, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri also announced the opening of Tourism Malaysia’s office in Almaty, which he officially launched at a separate function today.

Besides that, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri also launched the Malaysia Pavilion at KITF and attended the KITF Gala Reception Evening today at the InterContinental Almaty Hotel, where a cultural troupe from Malaysia performed a welcome dance to showcase the multicultural dances of the country.

In Kazakhstan, the Tourism and Culture Minister also addressed the media at a press conference after the official opening ceremony of KITF to update them on the latest tourist attractions and tourism developments in Malaysia. Another press conference was held today after the launching ceremony of Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office.  

On 21 April, Tourism Malaysia hosted a ‘Malaysia Evening with Travel Trade & Media’ to show its    appreciation to the tourism fraternity in Almaty and also members of the media. A similar dinner will be hosted in Tashkent on 24 April.

The Tourism and Culture Minister also launched MyFest 2015 outdoor campaign at the Almaty Metropolitan Abay station and Auezov Theatre station. There are 58 double-sided escalator light boxes at Abay station and 33 more at Auezov Theatre station. The campaign also includes three train wraps, showcasing creatives on islands and beaches, as well as culture and nature. The outdoor campaign is from April to July 2015.

In 2014, Malaysia welcomed a total of 18,072 tourists from Kazakhstan, which was a drop of 8.9% compared to 2013.

-Tourism Malaysia.

MyCEB Embarks on Roadshow to Korea

Seoul, South Korea 21 April 2015 - The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is currently embarking on an annual roadshow to Seoul and Busan, South Korea to woo corporate and incentive groups from the republic to Malaysia.

This two-day roadshow which runs from 21st to 23rd April is led by Mr. Zulkefli Hj. Sharif, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB). The roadshow enables Buyers and Sellers as well as industry players to benefit from the exchange of ideas, explore opportunities and create business networks. Corporate buyers are gathered at the Sapphire Ballroom Lotte Hotel in Seoul and the Crystal Ballroom & Pearl Room Lotte Hotel in Busan to network and discuss the future growth and prosperity of the business events sector. During the roadshow, MyCEB also unveiled the new "Malaysia Like Never Before" campaign and MTD-X promotion for corporate meetings and incentives planners in conjunction with the Malaysia Year Of Festival, (MyFEST) 2015.

Among the agenda of the roadshow was; a presentation by MyCEB and the launch of a new corporate incentive video, in the Korean language. There is also a mini-travel mart, an appreciation award presentation to top supporting agents following the Twin Deal ++ with SM Culture & Contents as the lucky recipient, followed by a lucky draw after the networking dinner.

Malaysia Like Never Before –
Tailored to the incentives market, the "Malaysia Like Never Before" campaign highlights the unique and fascinating features of five key Malaysian destinations for event planners: They are, Langkawi,

Georgetown, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching. Though already familiar to regulars of the business events circuit, the campaign has re-imagined these destinations with a fresh experience to visitors.

Each destination has its own theme, such as ‘Party Like Never Before in Langkawi’ and ‘Soar Like Never Before at Mount Kinabalu’. ‘Do’, ‘Stay’, and ‘Eat’ recommendations for the most unique and luxurious offerings are listed for each destination.

Malaysia Twin Deal X (MTD X)
Along with "Malaysia Like Never Before," MyCEB introduced the Malaysia Twin Deal X (MTDX) Programme, a continuation of its popular Malaysia Twin Deal ++ (MTD++) programme in 2014. Similar to its predecessor, MTDX comprises two programmes, namely Deal 1 and Deal 2, which provides value added support for international corporate meeting and incentive groups and incentive rewards for international corporate meeting and incentive planners respectively depending on group size.

Committed to developing and promoting Malaysia as a business events destination, a selection of hotels local authorities and an airline joins Malaysia at this year’s roadshow. These include:

 Langkawi Development Authority (LADA)

 Sabah Tourism Board

 Genting Malaysia Berhad

 Malaysia Airlines

 Nexus Resort & Spa Karambunai

 Putrajaya International Convention Centre Sdn. Bhd.

 Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

 Sutera Harbour Resort

 The Saujana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

-MyCEB.
http://www.myceb.com.my/

World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship (WAITGC) 2015

-WAITGC Secretariat.

http://waitgc.com/

Juadah Buka Puasa @ Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur

-www.seripacifichotel.com

Tourist Traffic From The US To Malaysia In 2014 Remained Stable

NEW YORK, April 21 (Bernama) -- Despite the three plane tragedies of last year, the 2014 tourist traffic from the United States (US) to Malaysia remained stable.

"The total number of arrivals from the United States in Malaysia was around 262,000 in 2014. Despite the three tragedies, we achieved our targets.

"Indeed, without the tragedies, we could have achieved a much higher level of arrivals from the United States," Azlina Azni Zainal Abidin, the vice president of the Los Angeles office of Tourism Malaysia, told Bernama during a visit to New York where she attended a meeting.

"Though the three tragedies were terrible, we have been told by the US travel industry that Malaysia's image as an attractive tourist destination should not be affected. These tragedies, we were told, could happen anywhere," Azlina said.

People who have visited Malaysia have become spokespeople for the country.

"Tourists have told me that Malaysia's best asset are its people who are very warm, hospitable and helpful.

As a destination, Malaysia has a lot to offer. We are continuing to promote Malaysia," she said.

The Tourism Malaysia's vice president, whose jurisdiction, besides the US west coast, also includes Latin America, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, and a few other countries, contended that tourist traffic from the US to Malaysia came, mostly, from the west because of its 'proximity to Asia' and the 'good frequency of flights provided by airlines to Malaysia through their national hubs' such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airline, All-Nippon Airways, EVA Airways.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has completely withdrawn from North America, and stopped flying to its two destinations in the US, Los Angeles and Newark-New York, some years back.

"Most of the traffic from the US to Malaysia comes from the West Coast. We also work with tourism offices of other Asian countries," she said.
-bernama.

Malaysia XI vs Liverpool FC @ Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur ( 24 July 2015 )

Date: 24 July 2015

Time: 8:45pm

Venue: Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur

Priority Ticket Sale will begin 10am Thursday 23rd April . Access Code will be sent out to all registered Ticketpro Malaysia members on Thursday morning.

Public Ticket Sale will begin 10am Saturday 25th April

Synopsis

The Reds kick-off in Kuala Lumpur against the Malaysian XI at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Friday 24 July. The match will be organised by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and promoted by ProEvents International Sdn Bhd.

Liverpool FC's fixture in Kuala Lumpur is just one element of a programme of activity that the Club is delivering in 2015 to bring Malaysian fans closer to the team they support.

Ian Ayre, Liverpool FC Chief Executive Officer, said "We visited Kuala Lumpur as part of our 2011 pre-season tour and the support we received was incredible, not only from the 85,000 fans that turned out to watch us play at Bukit Jalil, but all our fans in Malaysia throughout our visit.

Pre-season is an important time for the team as they prepare for the upcoming season and the match against the Malaysian XI is an exciting part of that preparation. The tour gives our supporters a chance to see the team up close, no matter how far away from Anfield they might live."

FAM general-secretary Dato' Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin said "The national football governing body is truly honoured to host Liverpool once again and are excited by the upcoming fixture.

It's not that we often get to see English Premier League stars. We watch them in awe in our television sets as they take on their opponents, mesmerising them with their gifted football skills", added Dato' Hamidin. "Watching our Malaysian XI play Liverpool is going to be an enthralling experience for all fans."

As well as a full Liverpool FC squad, the touring party will include coaching staff from the Club's charity, Liverpool FC Foundation, to carry out work in the community throughout the visit as well as taking part in events with official supporters' clubs.

Venue & Price Details

-www.ticketpro.com.my