European Travel Trade And Media Participate In EUROMEET 2012 To Promote Malaysia

Putrajaya, 18 May 2012 – A total of 72 travel agents and media from 14 European 

countries are participating in the very first EUROMEET 2012 at Istana Hotel Kuala 

Lumpur starting from today until 24 May. 

Organised by Tourism Malaysia, EUROMEET 2012 aims to reinforce tourism promotions 

of Malaysia to the European market as well as build stronger ties with foreign travel 

trade partners through seminars, visits to new products, destination trips and 

networking sessions with local industry players. Participants will also witness Colours 

of 1Malaysia (Citrawarna 1Malaysia 2012) at Dataran Merdeka on 19 May. 

“It is hoped that the programme will encourage and intensify the interests of the 

outbound tour operators in Europe to package and sell Malaysia more prominently,” 

said Tourism Malaysia’s Acting Director General, Dato’ Azizan Hj. Noordin. “The event is in line with the Government’s effort to position Malaysia as a luxury 

tourist and business destination,” he added. 

The participants are 63 outbound travel agents and 9 media representatives from 

Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Russia,  

Spain,  Sweden,  Turkey, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan. 

Some of the key topics and  activities during  EUROMEET 2012 include: 

i) A presentation on niche tourism products of Malaysia, such as golf, spa, 

weddings and honeymoon, bicycle, shopping and helicopter tours. 

ii) A travel mart to facilitate meetings between 60 Malaysian sellers and 

EUROMEET 2012 buyers to discuss the latest tourism products and the 

development of tour packages. Sellers comprise six state tourism authorities, 

inbound tour operators, hotels and airlines.  

iii) Tours to designated destinations in Malaysia such as Melaka, Perak, 

Terengganu, Sarawak and Sabah. 

Among the supporting organisations for EUROMEET 2012 are Malaysia Airlines, 

Emirates Airlines, Melaka State Tourism, Perak Tourism Management Berhad, Sabah 

Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Board, Terengganu Tourism, Belum Rainforest Resort, 

Equatorial Hotel Melaka, Grand Margherita Hotel, Hatten Hotel Melaka, Istana Hotel 

Kuala Lumpur, Tanjong Jara Resort, Borneo Eco Tours and World Express Tours Sdn 

Bhd. With the cooperation from travel industry members Tourism Malaysia hopes to make 

EUROMEET an annual promotional activity, complementing the other promotional 

efforts. 

Tourist arrivals from Europe registered a marginal 1.2 percent drop to 1,108,668 in 

2011 from 1,122,170 in 2010. The prolonged economic crisis in the region is cited as 

one of the major factors in the decline of arrivals. 

-Tourism Malaysia.

World Islamic Tourism Mart to be held from May 31 to June 2

To promote Islamic tourism to both Muslims and non-Muslims, the World Islamic Tourism Mart 2012 (WITM 2012) will be held for the first time from May 31 to June 2 at the Putra World Trade Centre.

It is organised by the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) in collaboration with Tourism Ministry, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Tourism Malaysia, Information, Communication and Culture Ministry, Trade and Industry Ministry and Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH). Sponsors for the event are Etihad Airways and Maybank Islamic.

WITM 2012 will feature three events which include a business-to-business (B2B) networking session where buyers meet sellers, consumer travel fair (B2C) and WITM incomthu conference.

Vacation deals: (from left) Mohd Khalid, Nor Sharizan, Lim and Zarinah looking at a WITM 2012 booklet.

The B2B session will be held at the Tun Hussein Onn and Tun Dr Ismail Hall from May 31 and June 1. Here, top management from the travel and tourism industry will network with Malaysian and other international industry bigwigs to expand and enhance their business in order to provide new products, new destinations and tour package deals. Currently, buyers and sellers from 40 countries have been confirmed. The B2C, which offers various consumer products, is expected to attract some 25,000 visitors over the three days.

Meanwhile, the conference, going on its sixth year would include a few well-known figures. Some of the interesting topics would be “Eradicating Islamo-phobia to Enhance Tourism”, “Syariah Compliance in the Hotel Industry” and “Global Muslim Lifestyle Travel Market — Landscape and Consumer Needs.”

MATTA president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said WITM 2012 was projected to enhance the unrealised potential of the Muslim tourism sector as they were over 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide and a growing affluent Muslim society. “WITM 2012 is not about selling umrah and haj package deals alone as it is about a consumer travel fair, a business-to-business travel exchange and an international conference about the sectors of the tourism industry with emphasis on Muslim tourism.

“The Muslim tourism market is a goldmine waiting to be tapped. More and more travel agents and tour operators in Malaysia are setting up Muslim departments within their company to offer Muslim tour package deals,” he said during a press conference on May 15. Also present were WITM 2012 chairman Zarinah Hashim, Etihad Airways country manager Jeffrey Lim and Maybank Islamic Berhad product management head Nor Sharizan Sulaiman.

For details, call 03-9222 1155 or visit www.witm.matta.org.my

-thestar online.

Mirza freed of CBT rap

KUALA LUMPUR: Almost two years after being charged with criminal breach of trust involving RM888,000, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg and former Pempena Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Mohammad Rosly Md Selamat were acquitted by the Sessions Court yesterday.

“Alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah)” was Mirza’s immediate response when he was swarmed by reporters after judge Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh delivered his judgment. “We have trust in the country’s judicial system,” Rosly said.

The courtroom was packed with family members and friends of Mirza and Rosly. They hugged and congratulated the two when the court stood down. A family member also led a doa recitation as soon as Mirza and Rosly walked out of the courtroom.

Yesterday was the second time Mirza was acquitted of criminal charges without his defence being called. On July 24, 2009, the Sessions Court had acquitted him of a charge of accepting dental treatment worth RM13,860 without consideration. Asked whether he would be back to work soon, Mirza, who was suspended, said: "I'll have to wait for the disciplinary board to resume." Mirza, a father of three, has had the privilege of serving under six tourism ministers, from Tan Sri Sabaruddin Chik to Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen and has been in the civil service for 30 years.

Judge Zulkifly, in his brief judgment, said in order to prove the case, the prosecution needed to establish that the approval by the accused for payment made to LCL Interior had violated the law or contract. He said, in the present case, both the accused did not breach any contract. The judge said, based on the evidence, there were only two remittance acknowledgements which were signed by the two accused on Jan 26, 2007. "The date on the charge is vague," he said, adding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the two.

Mirza, 55, and Rosly, 56, were jointly charged with committing the offence at Pempena's office in Menara Dato Onn, Putra World Trade Centre, on Feb 27, 2007. They were alleged to have approved the monies as payment to LCL Interior LCL Dubai's account at Mashreq Bank in Dubai for the purpose of setting up a Malaysian restaurant there, when terms for the project were allegedly not fulfilled. The prosecution had called 13 witnesses.

Deputy public prosecutor Azlina Rasdi prosecuted while Mirza was represented by counsel Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman and Datuk Saseedharan Menon. Counsel Rejinder Singh acted for Rosly.

-nst online.

Malaysia is in top 10 – again

KUALA LUMPUR: Thousands of international tourists have experienced Malaysia’s wonders through Tourism Malaysia’s successful Mega Familiarisation (Mega Fam) programme since 2000, said its acting director-general Datuk Azizan Noordin.

He said the programme had helped create higher exposure and awareness of Malaysia in the international arena as a top tourism destination for leisure and business. He said tourism was the country’s second largest foreign exchange earner, receiving RM58.3bil through 24.7mil tourist arrivals last year. Malaysia has also been ranked as the ninth most visited country in the world for three consecutive years.

Wear it like this: Philippines delegate Katrina Bianca A.Tamayo showing her fellow participants from New Zealand how to wear a ‘sarong’ during the Mega Fam Programme in conjunction with Colours of 1 Malaysia 2012.

He said a total of 163 participants, comprising travel agents, journalists as well as TV and radio crew from 22 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Iran, China and the United States, were present this year for the 14th Colours of 1Malaysia event. Azizan said visiting Malaysia was like “visiting several different countries in one go”.

“There are the peaceful islands where you can rent a basic beach-fronting chalet for as little as US$20 (RM62) and enjoy diving and snorkelling activities. “There are also jungles where you can trek for days into the interior and enjoy being at one with nature. We have some amazing wildlife in Malaysia, including elephants, orang utan and rhinoceros,” he said.

Other local offerings, he said, included the Malaysian homestay programme in the countryside, cave and jungle exploration as well as an international shopping experience at relatively affordable prices. Azizan also referred to the famous Malaysian hospitality, telling the participants: “I am sure that as you travel within Malaysia for your programme, you too will meet your fair share of open-hearted Malaysians.”

Colours of 1Malaysia will kick off at Dataran Merdeka tomorrow at 5pm and will feature stalls selling local cuisine and a parade themed “The Greatest Tourism Parade”. The 1.5km long parade will begin from Jalan Raja and will end at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. The month-long event will consist of 11 segments including sports tourism, 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia.

-thestar online.

Govt to scrap disembarkation card for foreigners

PUTRAJAYA: Beginning June 1, foreign visitors to Malaysia are no longer required to fill in the Immigration Disembarkation Card, commonly known as the IMM.26 Form.

They only need to produce their passports upon entering the country. Home Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Mahmood Adam said the procedure was no longer required following the introduction of the biometric recording system by the Immigration Department.

The system records the data of foreigners through the National Enforcement Registration System (NERS). Mahmood said NERS, which was introduced on June 1 last year, fulfilled the Tourism Ministry's requirement to record the data of foreign tourists to Malaysia.

“The decision to abolish the use of the IMM.26 Form was made in a meeting between the Immigration Department and the Home and Tourism ministries,” he said in a statement yesterday. Mahmood assured that the abolishment of the form would not compromise national security.

The new procedure would facilitate the arrival process of visitors and shorten the processing time at the country's entry points, he added. The public can call the Immigration Department at 1-800-22-6969 or e-mail pro@imi.gov.my for queries.

-thestar online.

Malaysia Airlines Streamlines Cabin Baggage Allowance in Anticipation for oneworld® Alliance

Subang, 14 May 2012 – In preparation for Malaysia Airlines' entry into the oneworld® alliance, the national carrier has streamlined its cabin baggage rules for all its domestic and international flights.


Guests travelling in Economy Class of Malaysia's national carrier will now be allowed one piece cabin baggage up to a maximum 7kg instead of 5kg. Guests in First and Business Class have an allowance of two pieces of cabin baggage with a maximum weight of 7kg each. Each cabin bag must not exceed 56 cm height, 36 cm length and 23 cm width. This new guideline is applicable for all air travel on or after 15th May 2012 and will be implemented across the airline's extensive global network.

Apart from the streamlined cabin baggage allowance, each guest can bring onboard either a notebook/laptop or briefcase or a binocular bag. In addition, guests can also bring a small handbag and a walking stick. Those travelling with infants (below 24 months old), may also bring one bag containing baby food and nappies weighing up to 5kg, a carry cot and a fully collapsible baby stroller. All cabin baggage must conform to local laws and security measures applied at the respective airports. Malaysia Airlines' regular rates will be applied to cabin baggage in excess of these new allowances.

Malaysia Airlines is on schedule to join the oneworld® alliance by the end of this year. As it prepares for its alliance membership, the airline has developed bilateral links on code-shares with oneworld® partners, the latest being Cathay Pacific and Royal Jordanian. It has also added its network to the Global Explorer; the round-the-world fare offered by all members of the alliance and selected other airlines.

When it becomes part of oneworld®, Malaysia Airlines' customers will gain access to the alliance's truly global network. It will expand oneworld's global coverage to almost 950 destinations in 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of more than 2,600 aircraft operating some 10,000 flights a day and carrying 358 million passengers a year.
-Malaysia Airlines.
http://www.malaysiaairlines.com.my/

Video Games Live @ Istana Budaya

-www.istanabudaya.gov.my

Super GT International Series Malaysia

-www.ticketcharge.com.my

250,000 free seats up for grabs on AirAsia

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia’s “Free Seats” promotion is back with some 250,000 to give away.

The free seats are available to all destinations in the airline’s route network, including for all flights operated by its affiliates Thai AirAsia, AirAsia Indonesia, AirAsia Philippines and AirAsia X. Customers only need to pay for fuel surcharge and airport tax to destinations such as Penang, Lang kawi, Singapore, Jakarta, Semarang, Surabaya and Ho Chi Minh City.

Flights within Malaysia start from RM21 one-way (only fuel surcharge and airport tax) while international flights are from RM47. The promotion, which ends on May 20, is for the travel period between Jan 4 and May 22 next year.

AirAsia X will be offering one way all-in fares, including from RM200 to Japan and South Korea, and from as low as RM250 to Australia. The promotional fares will be available for online booking from Wednesday to Sunday. Regional commercial head Kathleen Tan said AirAsia was offering the promotion again to celebrate its new corporate identity, which was announced recently.

-thestar online.

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat Wins The Prestigious International Hotel Awards, Asia Pacific 2012-2013

Kuala Lumpur, May 2012 –The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat has won another prestigious award in the International Hotel Awards, Asia Pacific 2012 - 2013, in the Sustainable Hotel category. The 5-star eco-luxury retreat received the Five-Star Award, winning the Best Sustainable Hotel category for Malaysia.

Successful entrants were presented their awards at a high profile gala presentation dinner at the J. W. Marriott Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on April 27^th, where the official announcements were made. The International Hotel Awards was launched by the same organization which set up the International Property Awards 18 years ago, aims to identify, highlight and reward excellence throughout the global hospitality industry. The awards are split into 6 regions, covering the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe & Africa, Arabia and UK. Participants enter at their relevant national level, and the highest scoring entry for each category will then compete for the regional title. A record number of hoteliers from eighteen different countries took part in this year’s Asia Pacific Hotel Awards and the competition was extremely keen with entries across the board being of the highest standard.

Adding to The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat’s winning on the national level, the five-star eco-luxury retreat also emerged victorious as winner for Asia Pacific in the Sustainable Hotel category.Attaining one of these awards is a statement that The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat can be positioned strongly as an eco-luxury retreat, not onlywithin Malaysia but also amongst established players inthe region. As the Best Sustainable Hotel in Asia Pacific, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat will join other top scoring winners from Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe & Africa, Arabia and UKto find the ultimate World’s Best in the Sustainable Hotel category. The final results will be revealed at a gala presentation dinner in London later this year.

Receiving the award forThe Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Mr. Olivier Robinet, Director of Operations, Sunway International Hotels & Resorts said, “On behalf of the Sunway Group, I would like to say that we are very grateful for this honour. This award belongs to Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, Founder and Chairman of the Sunway Group, whose vision has defined and developed the Banjaran Hotsprings to be the first five-star eco-luxury natural wellness hotsprings destination in Malaysia; to the Sunway City Ipoh and The Banjaran teams whose dedication and commitment turned the vision into reality; as well as to our guests who has believed in us”.

Also present at the gala dinner was Ms. CindyPubellier, member of the Scientific Advisory Board of The Banjaran. Receiving the award together with Olivier Robinet, Cindy said, “I strongly believe The Banjaran deserves this achievement as a lot of hard work has been put in since the beginning. This award is of immense encouragement and strength for us to continue our efforts on the road of sustainable development. With this award, we hope to raise awareness on sustainable development, not only for other hotels, but among land owners and the communities”.

About The Banjaran

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat is managed by Sunway International Hotels and Resorts and is part of THE SUNWAY GROUP. It is Malaysia’s first five-star eco-luxury wellness hotsprings retreat nestled in a 17 acres valley amid a lush tropical jungle, natural geothermal hot springs and a cluster of magnificent 280 million years old limestone hills. This self-contained retreat comprises 25 luxury villas and a wellness village offering authentic, Asian holistic wellness and spa treatments. Located in Ipoh and just a 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur, this award winning wellness retreat is best described as a haven for spiritual time-out, complete relaxation and rejuvenation offering holistic healing to achieve health transformation and overall wellbeing.

The Banjaran offers an extensive spa menu inspired by the rich cultures and healing traditions found here in Malaysia and Asia with authentic Ayurvedic, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Malay treatments. The menu also encompasses alternative wellness treatments such as colon hydrotherapy and antioxidant restorative therapy. There are a variety of massages, organic facials and body treatments to cater for everyone including the award winning The Banjaran Signature Massage. Holistic exercise disciplines such as Yoga, Qi Gong and Tai Chi are also integrated in the wellness programmes including daily access to a host of unique offerings such as the natural hot springs, ice bath and thermal steam cave, a 280 million year old meditation cave and the outdoor rainforest shower.

-The Banjaran Hotsprins Retreat.

www.thebanjaran.com

Colours of 1Malaysia 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, MAY 11, 2012 - Malaysians and tourists can look forward to a colourful and festive evening at the Colours of 1Malaysia 2012 (Citrawarna 1Malaysia 2012) parade on Saturday, May 19.

The event will begin at Dataran Merdeka from 5.00 p.m. until midnight, with the official launch at 8.00 p.m. This year, the parade is expected to attract about 100,000 spectators, both local and foreign to witness the festivities.

Over 7,000 participants, consisting of school students, public and private higher education institutions, local cultural organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are taking part in this 14th installment of Colours of 1Malaysia 2012 which has become an iconic tourism event since its inception in 1999.

The parade, with the theme "The Greatest Tourism Parade", will feature a decorated float procession, a choreographed dance routine that showcases the various tourism events and tourism products in Malaysia, as well as marching band performances. The parade consists of 11 segments, namely:

1.    Opening act of Colours of 1Malaysia 2012

2.    Nature

3.    Homestay

4.    Sports Tourism

5.    Shopping

6.    1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism

7.    Heritage

8.    Parks & Gardens

9.    Fabulous Food 1Malaysia

      10. Closing act of Colours of 1Malaysia 2012

The 1.5 km-long parade route begins from Jalan Raja, through Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Isfahan, and ends at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. The event will conclude with a rousing Dikir Barat performance by all the participants of the parade, as well as members of the audience.

In addition to the parade, 20 stalls serving various local cuisines will also be available at Dataran Merdeka.

 

TRANSPORTATION

Parking bays for private vehicles and tourist buses are provided at the nearby Padang Merbok, along Jalan Parlimen, a short distance from Dataran Merdeka. For those who wish to use public transportation, Rapid KL and LRT services will be extended until midnight.

  

MEGA FAM

Tourism Malaysia is bringing in a total of 280 media and travel agents under the Malaysia Mega Familiarisation programme from 24 different countries, namely Brunei, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, The Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Scandinavia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA and Vietnam to cover the event. Also, about 300 participants are expected to attend under the Colours of 1Malaysia 2012 holiday packages which have been promoted in Brunei, Iran, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and UAE.

BACKGROUND ON COLOURS OF 1MALAYSIA (CITRAWARNA 1MALAYSIA 2012)

The objective of Colours of 1Malaysia 2012 is to establish Malaysia as a premier tourist destination that is rich in culture and heritage, and to showcase the country's various tourism events and attractions through an entertaining and colourful street performance.  

This is in line with the Ministry's target of achieving 36 million tourist arrivals with total tourist receipts of RM168 billion (USD54.7 billion) by 2020, as part of the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) for Tourism. 

Time	Location	Activity
5.00 p.m	Stage at the Dataran Merdeka Square ((in front of the flag poles)	Perfomance by local artistes and marching band.
8.30    p.m – 11.00 pm	i.   Main Stage  (in front of    the Sultan Abdul Samad building)     ii.   Jalan Raja Laut  (in front of  UOB Bank)   iii.    Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (in front of Noble Hotel)	Launching Ceremony, performances, as well as parade.
11.00 p.m – 12.00 a.m	Main Stage (in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad building)	Performance by local artistes.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia to host world conference on maternal mortality issues

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will become the first Asian nation to host a world conference dedicated to reducing maternal mortality and achieving universal access to reproductive health.

The Global Women Deliver Conference 2013, the third in the series, is expected to attract 5,000 delegates and generate an estimated RM47.4 million in economic impact. The conference has been held in London and Washington previously. Malaysia was chosen to be the host country due to its status as a fast-growing democratic and liberal progressive country with stability and sound socio economic and developmental policies, said Datuk Dr Raj Karim, a consultant of Women Deliver.

Women Deliver, which has its headquarters in New York, is a global advocacy organisation which brings together voices from around the world to call for action to improve the health and well-being of girls and women. It will organise the conference with the support of the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB).

Dr Raj said Malaysia had been noted for its efforts to improve women's health and reduce maternal mortality as a national initiative and a national priority long before international agencies called for attention to lower maternal mortality. She said the selection of Malaysia as the venue of the conference was based on the government's commitment to improve the health of the people.

"Malaysia is internationally recognised for its comprehensive and well-planned health care system reaching out to remote rural populations and providing free or affordable health care across all ages. "In fact, Malaysia has one of the best primary health care service delivery systems in the region or even globally," she said. Dr Raj said that by hosting the conference, Malaysia would have an opportunity to share its experience with other lesser developed countries with high maternal mortality and learn of new advances and modern technology that can save women's lives and improve their health.

The conference could also provide a platform for participating countries to share their experiences on elimination of poverty, empowerment of women and education of girls, which are crucial to improving women's health, she said. Dr Raj said Malaysia provided a compelling setting for the conference as the country aimed to work globally to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millennium Development Goals which called for reducing maternal mortality and achieving universal access to reproductive health. More information on the conference can be obtained from http://www.womendeliver.org/.

-Bernama.

Nanning flights to help boost Penang tourism

Flights from Penang to Nanning in China will help bring more travellers from mainland China to the state.

Penang Tourism Development and Culture Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said the first 162-seater Firefly Airlines flight to Nanning on April 19 from Kuala Lumpur-Penang-Nanning was successful. The flight was organised by China International Travel Service (CITS).

“There is a huge potential as statistics show that a big number of Chinese tourists are travelling overseas for holidays,” he said at the recent opening of the Bukit Mertajam branch of Forever Travel Service Sdn Bhd in the Gemilang Business Centre, Bukit Tengah. Also present were state Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng, Forever Travel managing director Chua Joo Kwang and his executive director Chuah Kok Boon.

Law said CITS offered an eight-day travel package to Nanning on Thurs-days for RM2,300 including flight ticket, accommodation, travel coach and meals.

Forever Travel Service donated RM10,000 each to Chung Ling High School Penang, Heng Ee High School, Han Chiang High School, Jit Sin High School Bukit Mertajam, Jit Sin (Independent) High School and Jit Sin High School Seberang Prai Selatan.

-thestar online.