New York Times shows readers how to take in Pearl of the Orient in 36 hours

Penang was named as one of the Top 10 Islands to Visit Before You Die by Yahoo! Travels last year. But with so many things to see and experience here, how best to take it all in? The New York Times, a renowned newspaper and online news portal, has come up with a practical itinerary, “36 Hours in Penang”, which captures the essence and charms of the Pearl of the Orient in a well-plotted two-night stay.

Featured in their weekly travel column 36 Hours, the itinerary makes a great guide for those intending to take in all the island’s attractions in a limited time frame, said State Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang. It includes sights like Penang Hill, Esplanade, Fort Cornwallis, Penang State Museum, Armenian Street and Taman Negara Pulau Pinang, along with recommendations for local delicacies.

“It captures our three best features – culture, food and nature. Penang is more than a destination. It’s something special, with a unique living heritage that dates back several hundred years.

On the map: Law showing a printed version of the New York Times feature on Penang (left) and statistics of tourists arrivals

“We have the most temples of any city in the world, and we’re one of only two places where Chingay is still widely performed. On top of that, our food is world-renowned,” Law enthused. Among other accolades, he also pointed out that the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was listed as one of the greatest of its kind, while George Town as a whole, was listed among the top 16 best cities to live and work in Asia. “The annual George Town Festival has been a hit with foreign visitors. We’ve also received much interest for the upcoming Penang World Music Festival 2012,” he added.

On a related matter, Law also showed figures noting an increase in the number of tourist arrivals from Indonesia, Singapore, China, Japan, America, Taiwan, Australia, Thailand and the United Kingdom in 2011 compared to the year before. China saw the biggest rise, with an increase of 48.5%, followed by Japan at 28% and Indonesia at 24.03%.

To read the New York Times feature on Penang, visit http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/travel/36-hours-penang-malaysia.html?ref=travel.

-thestar online.

Yen Yen heads Malaysian delegation to ITB

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen will lead a Malaysian delegation to the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Messe Berlin, Berlin, Germany, for five days from Wednesday in a clear show of the country's focus on European tourists.

A statement issued by Tourism Malaysia on Tuesday said 124,670 German tourists visited Malaysia last year, reflecting a strong German presence in the overall tourist arrivals in the country. "Malaysia's presence at ITB will mark the country's 38th year of participation in the event," said the statement.

The delegation will comprise representatives of 57 organisations, including 31 hoteliers and 17 tour operators, national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS), as well as representatives from eight state governments. Dr Ng is scheduled to launch the Malaysia Pavilion Wednesday and promote several key tourism products and events.
-Bernama.

the cranberries - Live in Malaysia 2012

Date: 4 April 2012
Time: 8.30pm
Venue: Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Ticket: www.ticketcharge.com.my
-ticketcharge.

Fly and win with Firefly

PETALING JAYA: Travellers stand a chance to win a hamper worth RM12,000 if they spend the most on Firefly packages during the coming Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair in Kuala Lumpur. The community airline will also reward the biggest spender of each day with two Malaysia Airlines tic­kets to selected regional destinations during the fair, to be held from March 16 to 18.
The total value of these tickets are RM14,000.

MAS/Firefly short-haul chief operating officer Ignatius Ong said AmBank credit card holders would also be eligible for a lucky dip and a Santa Barbara bag for every RM3,000 spent. “AmBank credit card holders who make purchases between RM500 and RM2,999 will be eligible to two lucky dips,” he said in a press conference to announce the airline’s participation in the fair yesterday. Ong said the theme for Firefly at the event would be “Fly, Stay and Shop” as the airline would incorporate shopping into some of its travel and tour packages.
“We all know that shopping is an evergreen, year-round activity for Malaysians,” he said, adding that visitors at the Firefly booth could expect a choice of over 20 destinations, including Bali, Ho Chi Minh and Bangkok. Packages purchased at the fair would be for the travel period from April 1 to either the end of October or Dec 31.

Ong said among the tour packages to be offered at the airline’s booth was Firefly Holiday’s Johor Baru shopping package, which is a 3D2N deal that starts from as low as RM359. “The package is inclusive of air fare, accommodation and a return transfer from the hotel to the Johor Premium Outlet on the second day,” he said. For every package purchased worth RM359, customers would be eligible for a RM50 shopping vou­cher at the Johor Premium Outlet and a chance to win prizes.

Ong said Firefly Holiday would also offer a 3D2N full board shopping and city tour package to Medan for a minimum price of RM489. MATTA chief operating officer Phua Tai Neng said so far, 1,000 booths had been taken up for the fair, to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre.
“At last year’s fair, a total of 950 booths were taken up and we received 80,000 visitors,” he said.
-thestar online.

Season to travel with AirAsia’s RM399 Spring deals

PETALING JAYA: Flights to Japan and Korea from as low as RM399 (one way) are up for grabs during AirAsia X's Fly-thru Spring sale. Until this Sunday, the sale will apply to AirAsia X's flights to those destinations for both economy and premium fares. Premium fare deals are from as low as RM599 one way.

“Travelling to Japan and Korea in Spring is the time of the year where you can experience the cherry blossom season, a stunning view of sakura trees in full bloom where hanami (a Japanese ritual known as picnicking under a blooming Sakura tree or Cherry Blossom viewing) is practised in both countries. “During this period, Spring flower festivals as well as food, art and cultural activities take place, offering a unique experience to our holiday goers, in addition to our low fare deals,” said AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani.

The travel period for the Spring Deals are for travel between April 1 and June 30 and are available exclusively at www.airasia.com. Azran said AirAsia X passengers from Japan and Korea could also purchase Fly-thru Spring deals to Kuala Lumpur and connect to Southeast Asia and beyond. “By leveraging on the AirAsia's low-cost carrier network, guests can go to exciting destinations in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong,” he said yesterday.

The deal includes destinations from Perth/Sydney to Osaka from as low as A$399 (RM1,285) and from Melbourne to Tokyo from as low as A$469 (RM1,511). Also available are fares from as low as A$449 (RM1,447) from Gold Coast/ Melbourne) to Seoul. Visit www.airasia.com for more details on AirAsia X's Fly-thru Spring deals.
-thestar online.

Selangor Hosts The First Qualifying Round Of WAITGC 2012

The annual World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship (WAITGC) 2012 organised by Tourism Malaysia kicked off today with the first qualifying round at the Kajang Hill Golf Club and Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Selangor. Six teams from Australia are participating in the 19th edition of this tournament, along with four teams each from Indonesia and France, as well as three teams each from Japan and Hong Kong. Both Brunei and Malaysia are represented by two teams each. 

 

The four-day qualifying round sees participants vying for five spots in the Grand Final – three in the gross category and two in the nett category. The first two days of the tournament takes place at the 18-hole championship layout of the Kajang Hill Golf Club, famous for its naturally undulating landscape. Measuring 7,148 yards, the course is a good mixture of hard challenges that incorporates exigent fairways, strategically placed bunkers and rolling hills against breathtaking panoramic view of luscious greenery.  

 

The participants will then proceed to Glenmarie Golf & Country Club. Established in 1993, Glenmarie Golf & Country Club has made gigantic strides to become one of the top golf clubs in Malaysia. Its courses, the Garden and Valley use Bermuda Tifway 419 on the fairways while the greens are Bermuda Tifdwarf. Both buggy courses are designed by American Max Wexler and sculpted according to their natural topography. 

 

After Selangor, the tournament will continue in Sabah for the second qualifying round from 16 to 19 April, at Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club and the Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club. The subsequent four qualifying rounds will take place in four different courses in   

Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya, Melaka, Johor, and Sarawak.  

 

The Grand Final of WAITGC 2012, from 6 to 8 November, will be held at one of the country’s most challenging golf courses – the Royal Perak Golf Club. Since its introduction in 1994, WAITGC has emerged as a well-regarded tournament. It is one of the highly anticipated golfing events on the golfer’s calendar, attracting more than 500 participants every year. This home-grown event does not only test the golfing skills of the participants but also encourages them to discover Malaysia’s culture, tradition, delectable cuisines and many more. As WAITGC is also open to the media, it consequently boosts the stature of the event and promotes Malaysia internationally as a desirable golfing destination.  

 

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

-Tourism Malaysia.

AirAsia X offers low fares to Japan and Korea

PETALING JAYA: Flights to Japan and Korea from as low as RM399 one way are up for grabs during AirAsia X's spring sale. Until this Sunday, the Spring Sale will apply for AirAsia X's flights to those destinations for both economy and premium fares. Premium fare deals are from as low as RM599 one way.

“Travelling to Japan and Korea in Spring is the time of the year where you can experience the cherry blossom season, a stunning view of sakura trees in full bloom where “hanami” (a Japanese ritual known as picnicking under a blooming Sakura tree or Cherry Blossom viewing”) is practiced in the countries. “During this period, Spring flower festivals, food, art and cultural activities takes place, offering a unique experience to our holiday goers, in addition to our low fare deals,” said AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani.

The travel period for the Spring Deals are for travel between 1 April and 30 June 2012, and are available exclusively at www.airasia.com. Azran said AirAsia X passengers from Japan and Korea could also purchase Fly-thru Spring deals to Kuala Lumpur and connect to South East Asia and beyond. “By leveraging on the AirAsia's low cost carrier network, guests can go to exciting destinations in Thailand, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong,” he said, in a press release yesterday.

AirAsia X's Spring Deals long haul Fly-thru destinations include destinations from Perth and Sydney, Australia to Osaka, Japan from as low as AUD399 and from Melbourne, Australia to Tokyo, Japan from as low as AUD469. Also available are fly-thru fares from as low as AUD449 from Australia (Gold Coast, Melbourne) to Seoul, Korea.

For more details on AirAsia X's Spring Deals promotional offer and Fly-thru low fare deals, visit www.airasia.com.

-thestar online.

Firefly turboprop operations in for the long haul

Firefly, which ceased its jet services last December as part of a wider network rationalisation by parent company Malaysia Airlines , is looking to reassure consumers and travel industry partners that its turboprop operations will remain online for the foreseeable future.

Ignatius Ong, COO of shorthaul Malaysia Airlines/Firefly, said: “We strongly reiterate that the turboprop aircraft operating out of Subang and Penang hubs to other domestic and international destinations remain unaffected and plans for growth are in motion.” “There are plans to expand Firefly’s existing network and acquire more turboprop aircraft to support the growth within the medium to longer term,” he added. “Passengers can look forward to an increase in frequencies for selected routes in March and announcements of new routes in the near future.”

Firefly, which operates to 18 destinations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, flew 1.5 million passengers using 10 ATR-72-500 aircraft in 2011. The carrier expects to grow the number of passengers handled by more than 30 per cent this year, following the addition of two more ATR-72-500s to its fleet.
-TTG Asia.
www.firefly.com.my

Ng: There’s money in homestays

Seize the opportunity: Dr Ng briefing the participants of the homestay programme during her visit to the Kampung Gali Hilir homestay yesterday.

RAUB: Village youths should take the opportunity to make money by organising tourism activities such as the homestay programme, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. She said foreign tourists love learning more about our life and culture, and the youths should learn to make money by tailoring tourism activities and programmes for them. “Globally, Malaysia is the ninth most popular country to visit and the most popular Malaysian tourism product is the homestay programme,” she added.

“People who manage homestay programmes have been able to earn a good income and the activity has helped to generate more economic activities for the locals. “Malaysians, especially youths, should learn to be creative in organising similar programmes,” she said after visiting the Kampung Gali Hilir homestay here yesterday. Dr Ng urged villagers to maintain the uniqueness of their traditional homes and village atmosphere.

“Tourists are not looking for luxury hotels. They want to enjoy fishing, rubber-tapping and other daily local activities. “This is where our youths can become village tour guides,” she added. She also said the ministry would provide guidance to local cycling and superbiker clubs and help them organise tourism programmes since such activities were gaining in popularity.
Dr Ng added that her ministry planned to transform Raub into a tourism hub under the ministry’s District Integrated Tourism Develop­ment Programme. She added that more promotions should be organised for the town, where Fraser’s Hill, Jeram Besu, the Lata Jarum waterfall and many durian orchards are located.

-thestar online.

2011 Tourist Arrivals & Receipts

2011 Tourist Arrivals ~ 24,714,324 (+0.56)

2011 Tourist Receipt ~ RM 58,300 Mil (+3.2)

-Tourism Malaysia.

Top Ten Tourist Arrival To Malaysia 2011

1. Singapore ~ 13,372,647 (+2.53)

2. Indonesia ~ 2,134,381 (-14.85)

3. Thailand ~ 1,442,048 (-1.14)

4. China ~ 1,250,536 (+10.64)

5. Brunei ~ 1,239,404 (+10.22)

6. India ~ 693,056 (+0.32)

7. Australia ~ 558,441 (-3.83)

8. United Kingdom ~ 403,940 (-6.05)

9. Japan ~ 386,974 (-6.95)

10. Philippines ~ 362,101 (-25.61)

-Tourism Malaysia.

JPO to host 1Malaysia Station Franchise

JOHOR BARU: Discussions are being held to set up a 1Malaysia Station Franchise (1MSF) outlet at the Johor Premium Outlets (JPO) here.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob said JPO was a good place to set up the ministry’s outlet as it would benefit local micro entrepreneurs. “Currently, we only have one such franchise located at the ministry’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur but we are hoping to set up more of these franchises nationwide,” he said after visiting JPO yesterday.

Ismail Sabri said the franchise would usually be made up of five or six local businesses and would offer customers food such as burgers, nasi bryani and soup. “We are also going to be discussing with shopping complexes and R&R stops on the highways,” he said.

Relating to the setting up of the franchise within JPO, Ismail Sabri said that while the JPO management was willing, micro entrepreneurs needed to consider the location of JPO and the rental. “These micro entrepreneurs usually start with a capital of RM50,000 each,” he said, adding that the ministry had already disbursed about RM2mil to micro entrepreneurs nationwide and had an allocation of RM6mil for the remainder of the year.

During the visit, Ismail Sabri attended a briefing on JPO by its general manager Jean Marie Pin Harry and visited several of the 70 stores within the facility.

-thestar online.

60% of Sabah still under forest cover

SANDAKAN: Despite extensive landscape changes in the past, including the introduction of agriculture to reverse the overdependence on timber, some 60 percent of Sabah still remains under forest cover, state Forestry Department Director Datuk Sam Mannan said.

The rate of deforestation between 1970 and 2010 was about 0.5 percent a year, with its height being between 1990 and 2000 during the oil palm cultivation boom, which unfortunately also saw a direct correlation between the number of Orang Utans being sent to the rehabilitation centre in Sepilok, he said.

"Fortunately, what is most important is the fact that we did not discard the forest reserve system that we inherited. If anything, we expanded it. "About four million hectares of Sabah remain under forest reserves, parks and wildlife sanctuaries," he said when briefing the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who visited the department's Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok, near here, Saturday.

Mannan said despite "acts of random madness of the past," rainforests have managed to recover, with biological assets largely intact, and no record of any species going extinct so far. "The closest to extinction is the Sabah Rhino which we are trying to save through captive breeding," he added.

He also said the RDC, launched in 2007, is developed to meet objective of creating awareness on conservation and the environment as well as to promote ecotourism and recreation, education and research and development. Mannan said the total development cost for the centre has exceeded RM25mil and approximately RM10mil spent under the 10th Malaysia Plan to further develop its facilities. 

- Bernama.

AirAsia X reviews long haul networks

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia X is reviewing all its long haul networks in view of increasing fuel price and airport charges, Chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz says. She said some routes were no longer viable as charges and costs had been raised in all overseas airports it was flying to.

The most effective operations for the company were seven and eight-hour flights in order to keep up the profitability, she said in reply to a question whether AirAsia X will withdraw its Kuala Lumpur-Christchurch-Kuala Lumpur route.

Speaking to reporters at the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Malaysia Lecture Series here today, she said: "You can fill up the flights but it is still not making money if the cost keep on increasing like petroleum. "Every airline is facing this problem and AirAsia X is no different," Rafidah said. 

-Bernama.

Sunway Pyramid Wins 'My Favourite Mall' Online Poll

Sunway Pyramid has been voted as the winner of the 'My Favourite Mall' online poll. Organised by Tourism Malaysia, the poll was held for the first time in conjunction with the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale 2011, from 21 November 2011 to 2 January 2012.

 

Sunway Pyramid received a RM10,000 cash prize, a trophy, and a certificate. The prizes were presented by the Acting Director-General of Tourism Malaysia, YBhg Dato' Haji Azizan Noordin, at the prize-giving ceremony on 1 March 2012, at Sunway Pyramid.

 

The online polling was designed to promote Malaysia as a premier shopping destination and also to recognise the support given by shopping malls nationwide to Tourism Malaysia in making the sales campaign a success.

 

Shoppers voted online for their favourite mall from a nationwide list at the websites of Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysian Association for Shopping and Highrise Complex Management. A total of 35 lucky voters were randomly selected to win travel vouchers worth RM1000 each to various destinations in Malaysia.

 

Last year, Malaysia received 24.7 million tourists, with tourist receipts amounting to RM58.3 billion. Shopping holds the second biggest share of tourist expenditures after accommodation, constituting 30% of the total tourist revenue. It contributed RM17.5 billion, an increase of 8% compared to RM16.2 billion in 2010.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Firefly celebrates fifth year with expansion plans and more planes

PETALING JAYA: Firefly is celebrating its fifth year of operations next month with plans to expand its network and acquire more aircraft. Passengers can look forward to an increase in frequencies for selected routes this month and announcements of new routes in future, it said in a statement yesterday.

“Firefly is part of the community it serves and our bright turboprop aircraft will continue to connect small towns and cities that otherwise would not enjoy the benefit of fast, efficient and safe air travel,” said Firefly COO Ignatius Ong.

It currently serves 18 destinations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand and operates out of two hubs – Subang and Penang. Last year, Firefly flew 1.5 million passengers on two ATR-72-500 aircraft, and is expected to fly 30% more passengers with the addition of two more aircraft this year.
-thestar online.
www.firefly.com.my

Malacca guide book launched

Bundled with a myriad of delightful and colourful photos, Melaka A World Heritage City-2012, is a guide book that should not be missed especially by tourists planning heritage trails.

Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob (centre) poring over the guide book as Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam (right) looks on. Bernama pic

Highlighting all the important sites and must-go places, the book captures the uniqueness of the historical city  from its past history, food, arts and traditions, to languages spoken among  Malaccans. The book has  10 sections -- World Unesco Heritage Sites, tourism sights, history of Malacca, food and cuisines, hotels, resorts and homestays, shopping and leisure, recreational and theme parks, health tourism, art galleries and museums, city map, and other transport and tourism related directories.

The  312-page publication, according to its writer, Bonny Wee, gives greater emphasis on photos -- both rare and precious as well as new ones. Visitors  can now look up tourist  spots to visit, places to  dine or stay, have a great time at entertainment outlets or shop for antiques, handicrafts and souvenirs. "The rich historical and cultural heritage, ever-changing skyline and numerous new tourism products have  made Malacca a great place to be.

 "The front cover of the publication portrays an old Dutch building which was built by the Dutch East India Company in 1673 as a tax collection centre." The book, generously equipped with information and nuggets of golden treasures which is unique to the UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rich history, was launched recently by the Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob. Also present was Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam. This book is a sequel to the first two books written by Bonny Wee.

The  first was Malacca - A Charming Destination in 2007, and in 2009, the second book,  Malacca --   A World Heritage Site was published. Melaka A World Heritage City-2012 is  available at the Malacca Tourist Information Centre and all major book stores throughout the country at RM50 per copy.

-NST Online.

CUCI The Musical Last Kopek @ Istana Budaya

Date: 2 ~ 18 March 2012

Venue: Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur

Tickets: www.ticket2u.biz

Web: www.istanabudaya.gov.my

-Istana Budaya.