Usaha promosi Kelantan di Singapura berjaya

SINGAPURA 5 Mac - Usaha kerajaan diketuai oleh Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed mempromosikan Kelantan sebagai antara destinasi pelancongan menarik di Malaysia kepada rakyat Singapura berjaya mencapai matlamatnya.

Mustapa berkata, hasil promosi secara fokus yang telah dijalankan didapati minat rakyat Singapura untuk berkunjung ke kelantan semakin meningkat.

Beliau berkata, kejayaan tersebut turut dibantu oleh usaha Tourism Malaysia yang sebelum ini telah membawa seramai tujuh wartawan Singapura melawat Kelantan bagi menyelami sendiri keindahan dan keunikan yang ada di negeri Cik Siti Wan Kembang itu, seterusnya berkongsi pengalaman dengan warga Singapura dalam seminar pelancongan yang diadakan di sini hari ini.

"Mereka cukup gembira dengan apa yang mereka lihat dan saya dapati ia cukup berkesan dalam mempromosikan pelancongan Kelantan di sini," katanya kepada pemberita Malaysia yang mengikuti misi menarik pelaburan dan promosi pelancongan selama dua hari ke negara ini.

Beliau ditemui selepas melancarkan kempen promosi pelancongan 'Let's go to Kelantan' bersama Tourism Malaysia dan syarikat penerbangan Firefly di sini hari ini.

Majlis yang berlangsung di Raffles City Convention Center itu turut dihadiri oleh Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia ke Singapura, Datuk Hussin Nayan; Penasihat Khas Menteri Pelancongan, Sulaiman Ismail dan Pengarah Bahagian Pemasaran Domestik Tourism Malaysia, Musa Yusof.
-Utusan Online.

New hospitality school lands on Desaru Coast

Taylor's University and Destination Resorts and Hotels (DRH) yesterday signed an MoU to develop a school for hospitality, tourism and culinary arts in Desaru Coast.

Under the agreement, DRH – backed by the Malaysian government’s investment arm Khazanah Nasional Berhad – will develop the school and infrastructure at Desaru Coast, while Taylor’s University’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts will supply the curriculum.

With Johor projected to see the opening of 40 new hotels in the next 10 to 12 years, the new school would train much-needed hospitality professionals for the future.

Eliena Gaman, director corporate strategy, DRH, said: “With the 3,500 job opportunities to be created in Desaru Coast within the next five years, it is critical for us to make available a sustainable platform for the supply of human capital to be placed in the various components at Desaru Coast.”

She added that students could be exposed to a real-life industry environment through practical trainings in Desaru Coast ranging from hotel management to theme park operations.

Spanning more than 1,578 hectares, Desaru Coast will also offer premium resorts and hotels, differentiated leisure attractions and a multi-purpose convention centre when it launches its first phase of development in 2015.

-TTG Asia.

Lahad Datu: Yen Yen: Sabah is safe for tourists

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry is once again assuring everyone that Sabah is not affected by the Lahad Datu incident. Its minister Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen said Tuesday tourists could still go to Sabah.

"There are army officers guarding the islands like Sipadan who have been there all this time," she said during a press conference at the Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference and Awards Tuesday.

She said they have been communicating closely with the Sabah Tourism Board. "They update us on a daily basis," she said.

She added she has received news from Malaysia Airlines that tourists are still coming to Malaysia but were changing their destination. "There are some who don't want to go to Sabah but instead change their destination to places like Langkawi," she said.

-thestar online.

Tourism Is Business As Usual In Sabah (As per 04th March 2013)

The Sabah Tourism Board wish to assure our visitors and partners worldwide that the tourism industry, island resorts and activities in the east coast of Sabah are operating as usual in the various dive destinations of Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai, Mataking, Pom Pom, Pandanan and Lankayan. In the past several years, the Malaysian Government has installed dedicated armed national security personnel on these dive island destinations for safety and security.

On February 09, an armed group intruded into Kampung Tanduo, a remote coastal village some 150KM from Lahad Datu town on the east coast of Sabah. The armed group claim to be the 'Royal Army of the Sultan of Sulu'. After a three-week standoff, members of the Sulu clan opened fire at the police, who had no option but to return fire. Twelve clan Sulu members and two Malaysian commandos were killed.

On Saturday night of March 02, policemen on normal operations at a water-village, Kampung Seri Jaya Siminul in Semporna were ambushed and two policemen were killed by the armed intruders in the village. In the Sunday shoot-out, six policemen and six armed intruders were killed.

The Inspector-General of Police Malaysia (IGP) Tan Sri Ismail Omar in his statement assured the people, visitors and tourists their safety. He said the security situation is under control in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak where the security forces are holding off the Filipino armed intruders. "I have called the armed Forces Chief to strengthen our position over the incidents in these areas. We are in a state of readiness to take further action", he said. He requested and stated residents of these three areas to go about their daily activities as usual without worrying on their safety for the armed forces were working closely with the police to address the security situation. "I would like to assure the tourists that it is safe to travel to Sabah," Ismail said.

The National Security Council (NSC) Secretary Rodzi Md Saad stated that Sabah NSC confirmed there is no prohibition to visit the resort islands. All activities continue as usual.

The Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Musa Aman also assured the safety and security of Sabah.

Business is as usual in Sabah including the State Capital, Kota Kinabalu and all the towns including the east coast of Sabah - Kudat, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Tawau. There is No curfew. Airports, domestic and international flights are in full operations. All the islands are open to visitors and safe to visit and stay.

Thank you.

Datuk Irene Benggon Charuruks
General Manager/Board Director
Email: irene@sabahtourism.com
Website : http://www.sabahtourism.com

-Sabah Tourism Board.

Genting plans multi-billion ringgit Resort World Las Vegas

KUALA LUMPUR: Genting Bhd is planning to build an integrated resort in Las Vegas, with 3,500 hotel rooms and 175,000 sq ft of total gaming space.

The group said on Monday it was buying 87 acres of freehold land in Las Vegas for US$350mil (RM1.08bil) from Boyd Gaming Corporation. The integrated resort to be known as "Resorts World Las Vegas" would also have hotel rooms, gaming space across several floors, convention centres and several luxury dining and retail amenities.

"Genting Bhd intends to undertake the development, either singly or jointly with other parties, and will announce the details of the development plans in due course," it said.

It said the property was at the north end of South Las Vegas Boulevard - or the Las Vegas Strip - and consists of six parcels of freehold land measuring 87 acres. "The land has approximately 1,523 feet of frontage on the Las Vegas Strip and is zoned as H-1, which allows for the development of gaming enterprises, compatible commercial and mixed commercial / residential uses.

"It also lies entirely within the gaming enterprise district, which allows for application for a non-restricted gaming license and permitted gaming throughout the site," Genting said.

-thestar online.

Penang occupancy affected by US, European markets

Pearl of the Orient: The hotels in George Town sold about one million rooms in 2012.

Hotels on Penang island achieved a 65% occupancy rate for 2012, which was more or less the same as in 2011.

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) chairman Mary Ann Harris said there was flat growth because of the softer corporate market from Europe and the United States. “The hotels in George Town sold about one million rooms in 2012, compared to 1.013mil in 2011, registering a slight drop of 1.3%, due to the slowdown in the corporate market.

“The hotels on the beach sold 729,334 rooms, registering a slight growth of 3.3% over the 705,929 figure achieved in 2011,” she said. The occupancy rate of city hotels was 66.57% in 2012, compared to 67.86% in 2011. The beach hotels posted an occupancy of 63.95% in 2012, compared to 61.99% in 2011.

The MAH expects a single digit growth in hotel occupancy rates this year, driven by the rise in domestic tourism. Harris said domestic tourist arrivals had been on an upward trend since 2011.

“In 2011, domestic arrivals made up about 45% of the occupancy of the hotels on the island, growing to 50% last year. “We expect domestic arrivals to comprise 60% of the occupancy, as the domestic economy is still relatively healthy, despite the global slowdown,” she added. Harris said the new markets for the hotels in Penang included Iran, China and India.

Packed: Kek Lok Si Temple is another popular spot with tourists.

She added that Penang required at least some 2,000 hotel rooms over the next five years to cater to new tourism products on the island such as malls and convention halls that would generate more tourist arrivals for Penang.

On the performance of Eastin Hotel, Harris, who is also the hotel’s general manager, said Eastin registered an occupancy of 78.3% for 2012, compared to 76.95% in 2011. “Domestic arrivals make up about 34% of our guests.

“The occupancy for the Christmas 2012 and Chinese New Year 2013 period was better respectively than the corresponding period in 2011 and 2012,” she added.

Meanwhile, Hard Rock Hotel in Batu Ferringhi experienced an increased in occupancy in 2012 over 2011. Its sales and marketing director Betty Lim said the occupancy rate for the hotel for the whole of 2012 increased 2% over 2011, as the global economic slowdown did not impact much on tourist arrivals for the hotel.

“There was a slowdown from Europe, but the arrivals from south-east Asia remained steady, especially the arrivals from Hong Kong, which enabled us to register a higher occupancy for the Christmas and the New Year holidays, compared to the previous year’s corresponding period. “Some 40% of the guests are from the corporate and meeting, incentives, convention, and exhibition (MICE) segments, while the remainder is from the leisure segment,” she said. Lim said the hotel could expect an occupancy rate of about 70% for 2013, more or less the same as in 2012.

G Hotel in Gurney Drive achieved an occupancy rate of 84% for 2012, which was about the same as in 2011.

Growth: Hard Rock Hotel in Batu Ferringhi experienced an increased in occupancy in 2012 over 2011.

Its public relations executive Angie Chen said there was slowdown from the corporate segment in the second half of 2012. “The MICE market, however, registered an increase. The MICE, the corporate, and medical tourism segments contribute 60% to the hotel’s business,” she said.

Cititel Penang sales and marketing director Michelle Koay said the hotel in Penang Road registered a slight drop of 6% to close at 62% for 2012. Koay said in December 2012, the hotel registered an occupancy of 85%, while during the Chinese New Year, the occupancy was about 75%.

“For the first quarter of 2013, we expect to record an occupancy of 68%, compared to about 75% for the same period in 2012. “The slowdown was largely from the long-stay and corporate segments, where executives cut their stay to shorten the visiting period.

“We expect the hotel’s occupancy rate to improve to 72% this year. The MICE, corporate, and medical tourism markets should contribute more to the hotel’s business this year, growing at about 8% against the leisure market,” she added.

According to Penang Global Tourism, tourist arrivals for 2012 were at 614, 039, compared to 607,340 in 2011. Director Ooi Geok Lin said the top visitors were from Singapore, Indonesia, and China. “We also saw more visits from expatriates staying in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and China,” she said.

-thestar online.

Sabah unshaken by insurgent attack

Inbound travel into Sabah is holding up despite the ongoing standoff between Filipino followers of the sultan of Sulu and Malaysian police forces. Inbound operators TTG Asia e-Daily spoke to said there had been no cancellations as yet.

Andy Muniandy, director of sales and business development at Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel, said requests for FIT quotations were still coming in.

However, Andy Soo, general manager, Mayflower Acme Tours, said there were concerns, especially from Chinese agencies with FITs going to Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife Reserve. To ease fears, travellers are escorted to and from Danum Valley by park rangers. Soo added that he was in contact with Sabah Tourism Board for updates on the situation.  

Likewise, Asia Experience Tours’ head of sales, Clement Ho, who has an FIT booking to Manukan Island this month, said: “We pass on the travel advisories we receive from Sabah Tourism Board to all our (consultants) with interests in Sabah.”

Ng Yen Yen, Malaysia’s tourism minister, said yesterday that Sabah was safe for tourists despite the latest attacks. She added that the ministry was monitoring the situation closely and would ensure the safety of tourists.

-TTG Asia.

www.sabahtourism.com

Let’s get ready for Visit Malaysia Year 2014 now, says Ng

Setting the tone: Dr Ng taking part in the 1M4U dance with the public during the mini carnival at the Queensbay Mall outdoor car park in George Town.


GEORGE TOWN: Although 2014 may be a year away, the Tourism Ministry is wasting no time in making early preparations to woo the targeted 28 million tourists.

Besides a grand tourism carnival to create awareness in the public and private sectors, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said her ministry would also reintroduce the salam gesture to welcome visitors to the country. “It’s symbolic and let’s try to make it a natural habit for everyone,” she said. The gesture requires one to put his right hand over the left collarbone as a courtesy greeting.

Dr Ng said people should understand that Visit Malaysia Year 2014 was good for the economy as it would generate income for the nation. “It (tourism) is our third largest foreign exchange earner and generates 1.8 million jobs.

“If tourism prospers, the economy will, too,” she said at the mini carnival promotional campaign for VMY14 at the Queensbay Mall outdoor car park here yesterday.

She said the ministry targeted 28.8 million tourists to visit the country next year. “Last year, we had 25.03 million tourists. We expect 26 million for this year. “We are heading towards achieving our 2020 target of 36 million tourists a year,” she said.

Dr Ng also said the ministry aimed to reduce foreign workers in the tourism and related sectors.

As for Penang, Dr Ng said 127 hotels had been rated and urged the rest to do so to achieve a common standard. She said there should be an additional nine hotels with a total of 2,016 rooms in Penang by 2016. “We need at least 9,000 five-star hotel rooms in the state by 2020.”

She added that Penang should be more competitive in tourism because it was the leader back in the 1960s and 1970s.
-thestar online.

MAS begins daily flights to Paris on Airbus A380

SEPANG: An inaugural Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight to Paris aboard the spanking new Airbus A380 has arrived in the French capital.

The superjumbo operating on flight MH20 was given a ceremonious send-off minutes before midnight on Friday. The full-capacity flight took off for Paris, 31 years after maiden flight operations between both cities started on April 2, 1982. Paris is the second city, after London, to be operated using the A380 in the national airline’s network.

MAS’ capacity on the daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Paris will increase by 75%, from 282 seats from the previously operated B777 to 494 seats on the superjumbo.

Speaking before the flight departure, MAS group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said: “This is another significant development for us at Malaysia Airlines. “The very encouraging load is a positive indication that the increase in capacity by 75% is indeed needed.”

He added that booking trends for March 2013 showed a positive hike by 87% for the KL-Paris route and a 123% growth for the Paris-KL route compared with bookings in March 2012.

To create a gastronomic delight for its customers, three master chefs, Chef Ian Hall Mckenzie, Chef Zahiddin Dris and Chef Michel Quissac, were onboard the inaugural flight to serve first and business class guests.

MAS has ordered six A380 aircraft and the last aircraft is expected to be delivered in mid-March. It will be the 100th superjumbo coming out of the Airbus production plant in Toulouse, France.

-thestar online.

www.malaysiaairlines.com

Tirta Spa @ Seri Pacific Kuala Lumpur

-www.seripacifichotel.com

Chicchi Gets The Final Stage Victory, Arredondo Wins Overall

KUALA TERENGGANU, Saturfday - The 10th and final stage victory of the 18th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2013 from Tasik Kenyir to Kuala Terengganu saw a dramatic finale with Vini Fantini-Selle Italia's Francesco Chicchi taking his second stage win and stealing the blue jersey from previous holder Andrea Guardini.

Chicchi's victory denied Guardini, who fell sick yesterday and struggled to the finish of the stage, his chance of an historic hattrick of consecutive points classification victories in LTdL.

The biggest success, however, went to Team Nippo-De Rosa's Julian Arredondo who bagged the overall victory and the MTN-Qhubeka team who completed the overall teams victory at the end of the 10-stage 1,467 kilometre race.

Chicchi's tactical planning enabled him to bag the stage win by sprinting earlier ahead of the finish line to collect the 15 points that saw him overake Guardini in the points classification. Guardini failed to place among the top 10 finishers in the stage. Chicchi, who won Stage 4 of the race from Tapah to Kapar, beat Synergy-Baku's Rico Rogers to the victory, as Blanco Pro Cycling's Greame Brown made it onto the podium with a third place finish. "I like this race. There is no better start than to be with a new team which is fantastic and win two stages and the points classification," said 32-year old Chicchi who hails from Camiore, Italy.

Arredondo completed the stage in the safety of the peloton to keep his 1 minute and 15 seconds advantage over Orica-GreenEdge's Pieter Weening with a total time of 34 hiours 53 minutes and 07 seconds. "I am super happy with this result. This is a sweet success for me after going through so many problems with my visa which limited my racing last year to just five or six races," said Arredondo. "I am with a small team, but we are like family and my teammates stayed close to me especially in tough moments during the last five stages. It is not a matter of whether we are a Pro Tour team or continental. It was the mentality of winning that was important," said Arredondo.

South Africa's MTN-Qhubeka ensured their three top riders remained in the peloton in the final stage to complete the overall teams classification victory with an advantage of 9 minutes over second placed Tabriz Petrochemical of Iran.

Asia also stood tall with Hengxiang Cycling Team's Wang Meiyin from China winning the overall mountains classificatioin along with his white jersey as the best Asian rider, beating riders from Pro Team Astana Alexandr Dyachenko and Andrey Kashechkin, as well as top Japanese rider Yukiya Arashiro of Team Europcar.

Malaysia's top finisher yesterday was again sprinter Anuar Manan of the Synergy-Baku Cycling Project who finished sixth, while compatriot Harrif Saleh of the Terengganu Cycling Team finished 10th, ending the race without a Malaysian podium finish. Anuar however did step on the podium for his third place in the points classification behind Chicchi and Guardini.

"I had worked hard to ensure that I was in good form to produce my best results in this race. My preparation was better than last year but this time the level of competition was very high with so many top sprinters and UCI Pro Team riders," said Anuar. "I challenged them every day and I believe my performances had made an impact on the top riders and they were aware of my capabilities."

The LTdL 2013, which carries the slogan "The Heat is On", will officially begin in Kangar on February 21 and the race comprises 10 stages, covering 1469.7 kilometres. The race is sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as a 2.HC (hors category) race on the UCI Asia Tour calendar, organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, via the National Sports Council (NSC) in association with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).
-www.ltdl.com.my

Stylo Fashion event returns to KL in celebration of Formula One Grand Prix

Light moment: (From left) Folger, Yeoh, Ravn and Tomlinson chatting after the signing ceremony to officiate the Mercedes- Benz Stylo Fashion Grand Prix 2013.

KUALA LUMPUR: Following its 2012 showcases in London, Delhi, Jakarta, Singapore and Mexico City, Stylo returns to Kuala Lumpur in celebration of the 15th Petronas Malaysia Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Themed The Mannequin Fantasies, the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Fashion Grand Prix 2013 will be held from March 17 to 23, and will comprise galas, parties, competitions and fashion shows. Unlike previous years when the actual locations of the individual events remain a mystery till the day itself, the venue this year is an open secret. The Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral will be the official venue and hotel.

The return of the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Emerging Designers' Competition will also seal a slot for the winner at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Prague this September.

According to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia president and chief executive officer Roland Folger, the company is committed to the promotion of haute couture. As the title presenter of the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Fashion Grand Prix 2013 event, it also hopes to help elevate the Malaysian fashion industry internationally.

“Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has been in partnership with Stylo for six years and will continue to do so for a bigger and better fashion festival,” Folger said at an agreement signing ceremony here with Stylo International and sponsors of the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Fashion Grand Prix 2013.

Also present were president and chief executive officer of Stylo International Datuk Nancy Yeoh, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia managing director Soren Ravn, Visa International country manager for Malaysia Stuart Tomlinson, Ireka Properties executive director Lai Voon Hoon, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral general manager Paolo Campillo, A Cut Above creative director Winnie Loo, Petronas Motorsports general manager Anita Azrina, Asia Fashion Inc chief executive officer Timothy Chen and Shu Uemura brand manager Elaine Too.

Yeoh said Stylo will present its first ever public showcase at the Petronas Twin Towers. A six-member circus-based performing arts contingent from London is slated to be one of the performers, as well as other international and local artistes.

“Aerialists, stilt walkers, fire-eaters, unicyclists, hoop dancers and electro grinders will be merged with performing artistes in an act to be directed by famed choreographer Pat Ibrahim, with fashion direction by Georgetown Arts Festival chief, Joe Sidek,” she explained.

The launch of the inaugural Asia Fashion Week together with the green initiative Rainforest Fashion Initiative will take place during the Mercedes-Benz Stylo Fashion Grand Prix 2013.

The other partners and sponsors of the fashion event are Visa, Kronenbourg 1664, L'Oral Professionnel, Shu Uemura, A Cut Above, Ireka Properties, Asia Fashion Inc, ICAD, Pernod Ricard Malaysia, GH Mumm, Jacob's Creek and Deacon Medical. The Star is the official media partner for Stylo.

-thestar online.

Two In A Row For Coquard

KUALA BERANG, Friday - Team Europcar's Bryan Coquard again proved too strong as he bagged his second consecutive victory in Stage 9 of Le Tour de Langkawi 2013 (LTdL) from Pasir Puteh to Kuala Berang today.

The 20-year old once again found space to launch an explosive sprint to beat Vini Fantini-Selle Italia's Francesco Chicchi and Orica-GreenEdge's veteran Australian sprinter Allan Davis to the finish line of the 123.4km stage in 2 hours 42 minutes 11 seconds.

"To achieve my first win in this race, especially with such a strong field was difficult. But when I found my rhythm, it became easier and today's win has made me very happy," said Coquard.

"My lead-out man Kevin Reza managed to put me on the wheel of Davis with 300m to go, when Greame Brown (Blanco) was in front. After that I found space and managed to sprint to overtake them and all the way to the finish,

"As you can see it is very competitive. Each day the top finishers are not the same ones, so the field has many strong sprinters. But today my team managed to do again what they did yesterday and we won again," added Coquard, winner of the silver medal in the Omnium at the Olympic Games in London last year.

Winner of Stage 4, Chicchi again failed to outdo the young Frenchman Coquard after he was beaten to the line at the final leap when the teams tactical plans went astray with his leadout man Michele Merlo involved in a crash in the final kilometre.

"Merlo had an accident and I had to sprint on my own and I started my sprint in around 25th position, but it was too late because at that point Coquard was too far ahead," said Chicchi, the 2002 under-23 world champion.

Today's stage began as usual with many attacks from the peloton which was then controlled by Vini Fantini, allowing Chicchi to win the first intermediate sprint to close the gap on the points classification leader Andrea Guardini of Astana.

The peloton increased its speed to catch the final breakaway pair of Liu Yilin of Hengxiang and Endra Wijaya of Indonesia, who made their escapoe 35km into the stage and opened up a gap of around 2 minutes before being caught with 20km to go.

Julian Arredondo of Team Nippo-De Rosa maintained his overall lead with a 1 minute and 15 seconds advantage over Orica-GreenEdge's Pieter Weening with the final stage tomorrow remaining.

The challenge for the blue jersey will continue in the final stage tomorrow with Chicchi closing the gap to Guardini to just five points. Guardini has 86 points and Chicchi 81.

Hengxiang's Wang Meiyin confirmed his red jersey victory after the end of the mountains competition yesterday. He repeats his mountains classification victory in the Tour of Qinghai Lake last year. Meiyin also remains the leader of the Asian riders' classification, which will be confirmed at the end of tomorrow's stage.

South Afirca's MTN-Qhubeka's lead in the teams classification looks unlikely to be threatened in the final stage tomorrow with a nine minutes advantage over second placed Tabriz Petrochemical of Iran.

Once again the locals bit the dust with Anuar Manan (Synergy-Baku Cycling Project) again falling short of his targeted podium spot when he finished 7th and again the best Malaysian finisher. "I was targeting to win this stage and my teammates worked well for me. But unfortunately in the final kilometre there was a crash in front of me which I had to avoidm which disrupted my momentum. I will try again tomorrow," said Anuar, 26.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian national team's young LTdL debutante Mohd Zulhilmie Afif Ahmad Zamri managed 16th in the stage and admitted he had learned a lot from his first appearance in the race thus far. "I am getting more used to this level of racing. I used the earlier stages to get myself accustomed to the speed and I watched the professionals closely. I also watched how Anuar Manan competed with them. Today I felt comfortable to bring myself to the front and try my luck in the bunch sprint," said Mohd Zulhilmie, 21.

Stage 10 of LTdL 2013 tomorrow involves a 114.8km route from Tasik Kenyir to Kuala Terengganu with three intermediate sprints, one at Padang Air and two more across the finish line as the peloton does two loops around Kuala Terengganu before the finish.

The LTdL 2013, which carries the slogan "The Heat is On", will officially begin in Kangar on February 21 and the race comprises 10 stages, covering 1469.7 kilometres. The race is sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as a 2.HC (hors category) race on the UCI Asia Tour calendar, organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, via the National Sports Council (NSC) in association with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).

-www.ltdl.com.my

Celebrate School Break @ Impiana

-www.impiana.com
Note: Malaysia School Holidays 23~31 March 2013.

Malaysia’s Tourism Highlights March 2013

PUTRAJAYA, FEB 2013: Local and foreign tourists can look forward to having an exciting time in Malaysia, as the month of March is filled with various cultural, sports and business tourism events. The highlights include:

NATIONAL CULTURAL HERITAGE - JOHOR CHINGAY PROCESSION
The 140-year-old Johor Bahru Chingay procession is expected to be merrier this year after the declaration of Chingay as a national cultural heritage by the Prime Minister of Malaysia last year.

The Chinese New Year in Johor Bahru does not end with Chap Goh Mei but only until the procession is over. The highlights would be on the fourth night where the deities parade together with decorated floats, stilt-walkers and other Chinese traditional cultural performances.

Organizer:    Johor Bahru Tiong Hua Association
Date:           27 March - 2 April 2013
Venue:         Johor Town Centre (Jalan Wong Ah Fook), Johor
Contact:       +6 07 278 8999
Website:      http://www.jb-tionghua.org.my/

MALAYSIAN INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE FAIR (MIFF) 2013
The 19th MIFF, Southeast Asia’s leading furniture fair, seeks to promote greater competitiveness and integration of the ASEAN furniture industry.

It provides a platform for exhibitors from Malaysia, China, United States and other countries to display products and establish new markets within Asia and across the globe. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the latest technology, design, and modern accessories that are available in the market. The wide-range of products from bedroom furniture to office furniture makes MIFF a definite one-stop exhibition.

Organizer:    MIFF Sdn. Bhd.
Date:           5 - 9 March 2013 (9:30 am - 6:00 pm)
Venue:         Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) &
                   Matrade Exhibition & Convention Centre (MECC) , Kuala Lumpur
                   A free shuttle service is available between venues
Website:      http://www.miff.com.my/2013/

AUTOMECHANIKA KUALA LUMPUR 2013
The Automechanika Asia is here in Kuala Lumpur this year to promote the automotive industry. Innovative products and services related to automotive industry will be displayed by numerous exhibitors from all over the globe.

In addition, the event will feature some special events such as forums and seminars for visitors to network and gather valuable advice from the industry experts.

Organizer:    Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd
Date:           7 - 9 March 2013
Time:          10 am – 6 pm
Venue    :     Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Kuala Lumpur
Contact:       +6 03 7803 2276
                   info@malaysia.messefranfurt.com
Website:      http://www.automechanika-kl.com/


LET’S GO SHOPPING!
The 1Malaysia Grand Prix (GP) Sale 2013 is back! Shoppers can look forward to enjoying great bargains and attractive promotions throughout the 23-day shopping fest.

As a back-to-back event with the F1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix, the GP Sale is expected to make F1 fans stay longer in the country to indulge in some fantastic shopping treats.
So let’s enjoy a wholesome shopping spree!

Organizer:    Shopping Malaysia Secretariat, Tourism Malaysia
Date:           16 March - 7 April 2013
Venue:         Nationwide
Contact:       +6 03 8891 8000
                   enq-megasales@tourism.gov.my


LET’S GET WILD – RAPTOR WATCH 2013
The nation’s biggest ecotourism bird watching event is back to celebrate the return of the migratory birds of prey on their journey back to their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere.

Organised by Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), the Raptor Watch 2013 is to raise awareness on the conservation of raptors and their habitat in Tanjung Tuan, an important stop over site for the migratory raptors after crossing the Straits of Malacca. There would be exciting activities including games, performances, and much more for nature enthusiasts.

Organizer:    Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)
Date:           9 - 10 March 2013
Venue:         Tanjung Tuan PNB Ilham Resort, 10th Mile, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan
Contact:       +6 03 2287 9422
Website:    http://mnsraptorwatch.wordpress.com

FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL ASIA 2013
Fantastic music and party crowds are ready to rock the town! The Future Music Festival Asia 2013 promises to be an awesome event as DJs and artistes including ‘Gangnam Style’ hit maker, PSY are expected to come to Kuala Lumpur.

Organised by Future Entertainment Australia and Livescape Asia, the festival aims to attract more than 40,000 fans with two days of non-stop good music from trance to dance and many more. The music festival welcomes guests aged 18-years and above only.

Organizer:    Future Entertainment Australia and Livescape Asia
Date:           15 - 16 March 2013
Venue:         Sepang International Circuit, Selangor
Contact:       www.futuremusicfestival.asia


2013 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX
Catch the blazing action of high speed rubber burning on one of the world’s most challenging tracks as the 2013 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix returns. This season, eleven teams and 22 drivers will be competing at the world’s hottest race in the Grand Prix City of Kuala Lumpur.

The event is celebrating its 15th anniversary in KL by providing ticket holders with various privileges including three days all-access pass, shopping and dining discounts, and access to the Guns N’ Roses after-race concert.

Organizer:    Sepang International Circuit Sdn. Bhd.
Dates:          22 - 24 March 2013
Venue:         Sepang International Circuit, Selangor
Website:      www.formula1.com


LANGKAWI INTERNATIONAL MARITIME AND AEROSPACE (LIMA)
The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) 2013 Exhibition is a biennial event that provides a platform for aerospace and maritime manufacturers to display and promote the latest aerospace technology.

New programmes such as ASEAN Aviation Conference, LIMA ‘13 Ship-building and Ship-repair Conference and others will be introduced in this 5-day event. It is one of Asia’s most important aerospace and maritime events.

Organizer:    HW LIMA Exhibition
Date:           26 - 30 March 2013
Venue:         Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre, Kedah
Website:      www.lima.com.my
                   fairul@hwlima.org
Contact:       +603 4142 1699
                   +6017 373 4744


PARAGLIDING ACCURACY WORLD CUP SABAH 2013
Top paragliders from all over the world will gather in Sabah to compete for the Paragliding Accuracy World Cup Sabah championship title. Paragliders from Hungary, Japan, Slovenia and other countries who took part in last year’s PAWC are expected to compete again this year.

Organised by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the beautiful view of the location and the majestic Mount Kinabalu make Lohan Hill the top venue for the sport.

Organizer:    Sabah Toursim Board, Malaysia Gliding Association and
                   Kinabalu Paragliding Club
Date:           27 - 30 March 2013
Venue:         Lohan Hill, Ranau, Sabah
Contact:       +6088 232 121
Email:          zachary@sabahtourism.com


5TH PUTRAJAYA INTERNATIONAL HOT AIR BALLON FIESTA 2013
The colourful balloons are back to paint the sky! Themed ‘1 World 1 Malaysia 1 Fiesta’, the 5th Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2013 makes a comeback and will feature not less than 20 balloonists from all over the globe.

Other than hot air balloons, there will be a series of exciting activities such as paintball and wall climbing for visitors. They are advised to come early and queue up for the limited hot air balloon tickets.

Organizer:    Malaysian Sport Aviation Federation (MSAF) and AKA Balloon Sdn. Bhd
Date:           28 - 31 March 2013
Venue:         Monumen Alaf Baru Precinct 2 Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur
Time:           7 am – 9 pm
Fee:             Free entrance


1MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL SHOE FESTIVAL (MISF) 2013
Good news for all shoe-paholics! The 1Malaysia International Shoe Festival (MISF) 2013 offers a great platform for industry players to showcase and promote their quality footwear to the world.

Besides various fancy footwear, highlights of the event include fashion shows and special appearances by celebrities and designers, particularly world-renowned luxury shoe designer Professor Dato’ Dr. Jimmy Choo.

Organizer:    Ministry of Tourism Malaysia
Date:           28 - 31 March 2013
Venue:         Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur
Contact:       +6 03 8891 7000

PENANG WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013
The 2013 edition of the Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) will return to rock the Pearl of the Orient with their unique music and instruments.

This year’s line-up includes 12 musical bands from Brazil, Japan, West Africa, Malaysia and other countries. Other than concerts, workshop sessions and a festival bazaar will also be held.

Organizer:    Penang State Tourism Development and Culture Office
Date:           30 - 31 March 2013
Venue:         Quarry Park, Penang Botanic Gardens, Pulau Pinang
Contact:       +6 016 4110000
                   info@visitpenang.gov.my
Website:      www.penangworldmusic.gov.my

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourists can now explore KL on rented bicycles

It’s official: Ahmad Phesal (left) officially launching the ‘Kuala Lumpur By Cycle’ programme. Looking on is Mirza (right) and Tunku Iskandar (second from right).

Here’s an interesting way to discover Kuala Lumpur — ride a bicycle! Tourists can now rent up to 20 city bicycles to explore KL’s attractions within a designated cycle zone with the introduction of the ‘Kuala Lumpur By Cycle’ programme.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib officially launched the programme at Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, Jalan Tun Perak recently. This is the latest tourism programme developed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) under its Visit KL initiative.

Also present was Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab and Kuala Lumpur Tourism Development Council co-chairman Tunku Datuk Seri Iskandar Tunku Abdullah.

Ahmad Phesal said the programme was aimed at offering an eco-friendly way to explore and appreciate KL while promoting cycling as a viable transportation alternative. “If we provide the access, tourists will cycle, and with the success of the Nature Route, we will identify and develop other safe and suitable cycle routes, hopefully within this year,” he added.

The ‘Nature Route’ (the first designated route) is made up of two zones; the Heritage Zone and the Park Zone.

The Heritage Zone encompasses attractions such as the Sultan Abdul Samad building, the National Textile Museum, the Victorian Fountain, Royal Selangor Club, Cathedral of St Mary and the City Theatre, better known as Panggung Bandaraya.

The second, the Park Zone, takes tourists through the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park, with stops covering Perdana Botanical Gardens, KL Bird Park, KL Butterfly Park, Deer Park, KL Hibiscus and Orchid Gardens, National Planetarium, Tun Abdul Razak Memorial, Islamic Arts Museum and the National Mosque.

Currently, there are two packages that tourists can opt for; the Free & Easy Cycle, which is a self-guided bicycle tour or the Guided Cycle Tour, the first-of-its-kind in the country, where riders are provided with a set of headphones that will allow them to hear a running commentary given by a tour guide.

During the launch, Ahmad Phesal also flagged off a group of tourists who opted for the Guided Cycle Tour. One of the participants was Italian tourist, Ricardo Loschi, 28, who looked forward to seeing the city’s sights and attractions.

“It will be fun to explore the city by bicycle as it’s quite unusual. We can take our time and stop to take lots of pictures. “The best part is we won’t be caught in any traffic jam,” he said.

Riders will also be provided with a safety helmet and safety vest as well as a route map for reference. Rental fees are priced at RM30 for the first four hours with RM5 for every subsequent hour (The Free and Easy Cycle) and RM45 for the Guided Cycle Tour.

Bicycles can be collected at the Kuala Lumpur By Cycle centre located at the KL City Gallery, Jalan Raja and a refundable deposit of RM250 is payable when collecting them.

-thestar online.