Temporary Closure All Of MM2H Counters Until 30th April 2020

http://www.mm2h.gov.my/index.php/en/

1. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pandemic following the outbreak to 123 countries and territories worldwide. WHO has urged all countries to take aggressive action to stop transmission and prevent the spread of the COVID-19. Subsequently, the Government of Malaysia has imposed travel bans on visitors from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy.
   
   
2. As precautionary measure, I have instructed that all services counters at the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) Center (Level 1 and Level 10) to be closed with immediate effect until 30th April 2020. This is to ensure that the staff of MM2H Centre are not exposed due to big number of foreign crowd at the counters.
   
   
3. In this regard, all applications related to MM2H must comply with the following procedures:

• All new applications must be submitted by courier only. For withdrawal and termination applications, the required documents should be submitted by e-mail at mm2h@motac.gov.my.
• For applications involving payments to the Immigration at the MM2H Center, the applicant must first make an appointment with the Immigration Officer at the MM2H Center.
• All endorsements of new applications are suspended.
• For further enquiries, please contact MM2H Centre at 03-8891 7424.

4. Temporary closure of all counters at the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) will not affect this program as new application or related processes can be done via alternative procedures. The opening of the counters will be notified accordingly.

5. The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture remains committed to tackling this issue.

-MOTAC.

1,515 peserta menyertai pertandingan memancing TMST2020

Yang Dipertua Majlis Perbandaran Port Dickson (MPPD), Mohd Zamri Mohd Esa (empat dari kanan) dan Ammar (dua dari kanan) bergambar bersama pemenang pada Majlis Perasmian Tourism Malaysia Surfcasting di Pantai Cahaya, Port Dickson semalam.

PORT DICKSON - Seramai 1,515 peserta menyertai pertandingan memancing Tourism Malaysia Surfcasting Tour (TMST2020) siri pertama di Pantai Cahaya Negeri di sini semalam.

Pertandingan memancing anjuran bersama Tourism Malaysia dan Wakjali Event Management itu dipilih sebagai salah satu aktiviti untuk mempromosikan Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2020 di seluruh negara.

Pengarah Pelancongan Domestik dan Acara Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar berkata, Port Dickson dipilih sebagai pembuka tirai acara itu kerana tarikannya sebagai pusat peranginan terkenal negara ini.

Katanya, penyertaan yang menggalakkan membuktikan program seumpama itu mampu menarik kedatangan pelancong domestik.

“Walaupun kini kedatangan pelancong agak terjejas disebabkan wabak koronovirus (Covid-19) namun kita tidak menyangka program pertama yang berlangsung di sini sangat meriah.

“Kita ada peserta yang datang dari luar Negeri Sembilan termasuk Kuantan, Selangor, Melaka dan Singapura,” katanya ketika ditemui pada sidang media selepas merasmikan program pertandingan memancing TMST2020 siri pertama di Pantai Cahaya Negeri di sini semalam.

Ammar berkata, bagi memastikan kesihatan peserta, mereka akan disaring sebelum mendaftar.

“Jika ada yang demam kita tidak benarkan mereka bertanding. Peserta juga perlu menggunakan hand sanitizer,” katanya.

Acara berkenaan mendapat kerjasama sepenuhnya daripada kerajaan Negeri Sembilan dan Majlis Perbandaran Port Dickson (MPPD).

Bagi siri pertama ini, tempat pertama dimenangi oleh pemenang dari Melaka, Yusri Yusoff, 52, yang membawa pulang wang tunai RM60,000.

Tempat kedua dimenangi Mohd Zawawi Zakaria, 41, dari Pekan, Pahang dengan menerima wang tunai berjumlah RM10,000, manakala tempat ketiga dimenangi oleh Mohd Rauf yang menerima wang tunai RM5,000.

Yusri ketika ditemui memberitahu tidak menyangka niat untuk menyertai acara pertandingan memancing secara suka-suka akhirnya membawa tuah.

Katanya, dia yang baru sahaja belajar memancing bersama rakan-rakan sejak setahun lalu terkejut kerana percubaannya membawa habuan besar.

Pertandingan itu menawarkan hadiah wang tunai RM115,700, dua cabutan bonanza motosikal Modenas Kriss dan pelbagai barangan memancing dan hamper.

Turut diadakan dua kategori pertandingan mewarna untuk kanak-kanak, pertandingan beyblade, memancing ikan keli dalam sangkar, pet zoo dan bengkel teknik membaca alaf-21 yang dikendalikan pensyarah Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

-Sinar Harian.

Penutupan Sementara Semua Kaunter MM2H Sehingga 30 April 2020 - MOTAC

-MOTAC.

Experience Malaysia - March 2020

For viewing EXPERIENCE MALAYSIA Click here 

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair 2020 (MATF) is Back with Huge Discounts up for grabs

KLIA, 10 March 2020: Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair (MATF) is back with amazing offers, deals, and discounts to help you make the best choice for your upcoming holidays and travel plans.

Running from today until 23 March 2020, enjoy up to 40% off fares for travels from today until 31 January 2021, allowing passengers to have access to great savings on all their planned travels for the year and beyond. Customers can also take advantage of an additional 15% off when using the coupon code MATF2020* which is valid for travels until 30 June 2020 as well as an additional 5% off when they purchase tickets with CIMB credit cards for travels from 1 July 2020 until 31 January 2021.

Destinations up for grabs include local favorites such as Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching. Internationally, the destinations include ASEAN hotspots like Bali, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh; Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne in Australasia, New Delhi and Chennai in India, and our flagship destination, London.

According to Group Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Lau Yin May, “MATF was once the pinnacle of travel fairs in Malaysia, boasting the largest crowds, with attendees from every corner in attendance. It is our great pleasure to bring MATF back this year, with a lineup of new and exciting products that enhance the Malaysia Airlines experience for our fellow Malaysians, promising a more enjoyable, comfortable and relaxing journey. This year is extra special, with our Fly Malaysia campaign in full swing, allowing us to really create value for our passengers beyond flights. Our passengers will be fully immersed in their travel experience thanks to our amazing and distinctive inflight service and product which now include cuisines from every state in Malaysia and cabin music that encapsulates the spirit of multi-culturalism in Malaysia.”

Beyond fares, travelers will enjoy fantastic discounts on our ancillary products with 20% off MHinsure on Single Trip Plans with the promo code TRAVEL20, and an additional 5% off for Annual Trip Plans with the promo code TRAVEL25, perfect for our frequent flyers who Fly Malaysia multiple times a year. 

Additionally, the Value Bundle, the Premium Bundle, as well as ancillary add-ons for Extra baggage, Seat Selection and Golden Lounge Access will be available at a 25% discount. The Value Bundle offers 10kg Extra Baggage for passengers inclusive of a Standard Seat, while the Premium Bundle comes with Golden Lounge Access as well as an Extra Legroom Seat at no added charge.

In support of Visit Malaysia 2020, Enrich is offering 2,020,000 Enrich Miles for members with bookings into or within Malaysia. Two lucky customers will win 20,200 miles every week throughout 2020, and members can double their chances of being selected by flying Business Class or Business Suite. In partnership with Eraman, Enrich members will also be able to enjoy a more rewarding experience with discounts at the duty-free stores at six participating airports in Malaysia. Available from now until 31 May 2020, members can enjoy a 5% off for Blue Card member with a minimum spend of RM150 and a 10% off for Silver, Gold and Platinum members with a minimum spend of RM250.

Other fabulous deals include 50% off on selected duty-free items on Malaysia Airlines Temptations, our in-flight shopping platform, with online exclusives available on our Temptations website.

Customers looking for a personalized holiday may take advantage of the all-inclusive 30% off for flights plus hotel stays with the 3D2N package deals by MHholidays, applicable for travels from 9 March 2020 until 31 January 2021. The packages come with a free stay for one child and breakfast at selected hotels. 

Customers who place a booking of five nights or more on a single stay will enjoy an additional free one-night hotel stay. The package price per person for a 6D5N hotel stay begins at RM3,789 in London, RM2,779 in Sydney, RM2,339 in Melbourne, RM3,519 in Auckland. These packages are inclusive of 40kg baggage allowance, inflight meal, and free seat selection. Stand a chance to win amazing prizes when you buy the MHholidays package, with six lucky travelers to win an all-expense-paid 3D2N package to a domestic destination!

MATF would not be complete without amazing value-for-money options from Firefly Airlines, with RM69 all-in one-way travel deals to domestic destinations, with sales running from 9 March 2020 until 15 March 2020 for travels from 13 April 2020 until 13 March 2021. Additionally, attractive Firefly Holiday packages are up for grabs, inclusive of flights and hotel stays all around Malaysia for a 3D2N stay, starting at just RM197 per person, with packages on sale until 23 March 2020 for travels from now until 13 March 2021. Head on to fireflyz.com.my for more information on these offers!

According to Firefly Airlines Chief Executive Officer Phillip See, “Firefly is delighted to be part of the MATF as it flies to many prime domestic destinations in Malaysia that cater to various kinds of passenger interests such as beaches, theme parks, islands, food paradise, arts and the latest staycation trends. The airline is offering an opportunity not to be missed to explore the hidden gems of this beautiful country with a RM69 deal across all domestic destinations. Also, we are offering up to 50% discount off hotel + flights via Firefly Holiday packages.”

In addition, with the ‘Fly Now, Pay Later’ plan, travelers can choose to book their travels without paying upfront but, instead enjoy 0% interest installment payment over a 6-month or 12-month period. Already available for Maybank and Public Bank credit cardholders, in conjunction with MATF, CIMB has also joined as a partner for the plan, allowing all CIMB credit cardholders to take advantage of this plan to fulfill their travel goals without sacrificing their financial planning!

In light of recent developments concerning COVID-19, Malaysia Airlines will institute a flexible ticket change policy, allowing passengers to rebook their travels and postpone them to a later date at no additional cost. Passengers with bookings made from 10 March 2020 to 31 March 2020 can have the option to rebook their flights by 31 May 2020, for travels to be completed by 31 December 2020. The rebooking must be carried out at Malaysia Airlines Ticket Office or via its Global Contact Centre. While the one-time change fee may be waived, other changes will be subjected to terms and conditions.

Head on to malaysiaairlines.com to get more information and book your next holiday! To make sure you never miss out on great deals like these, as well as the many more exciting promotions and exclusives we have in store, download the Malaysia Airlines app today! *The 15% off from the promo code will be applied on the base fare and will be exclusive of the ancillary charges, and taxes.

-Malaysia Airlines.

Visa And Tourism Malaysia Enter Into Strategic Partnership To Grow Tourism To Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 March 2020 - Visa Malaysia has entered a long-term partnership with Tourism Malaysia to support the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) in driving inbound tourism and promote Malaysia as a preferred travel destination.

In the spirit of Visit Malaysia 2020, Tourism Malaysia and Visa mark an important partnership to drive inbound tourists, and drive Malaysia to be a preferred destination for travel especially in shopping segment. 

Shopping in Malaysia is considered one of the popular tourist activities due to the favourable exchange rates, quality of products, and diversity of choices. According to Tourism Malaysia, for the past four straight years, shopping was the biggest share of tourist expenditure for Malaysia, taking up 35.2 per cent of the total tourist receipts in Jan-Sept 2019 at RM 23.3 billion. This showed an increase of 14.4 per cent compared to 2018. 

Visa will be harnessing its data analytics capabilities and research to generate useful traveller insights. Through collaborative co-creation with Tourism Malaysia, this will help to transform tourists’ travel experiences when they visit Malaysia.

The partnership will also leverage on Visa Preferred Merchant Programme (VPM) which features a variety of rewards and benefits popular amongst tourists visiting Malaysia. The benefits include dining, shopping, family entertainment and medical wellness offers for Visa cardholders. These benefits will be shared through Visa and Tourism Malaysia’s digital media and distribution channels globally. In addition, Visa will also help to promote domestic tourism in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia’s Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign and share a variety of offers that are relevant for local Visa cardholders.

Present at the signing ceremony was Datuk Musa Hj. Yusof, Director General Tourism Malaysia. He said, “MOTAC and Tourism Malaysia have embarked on several efforts to promote Malaysia as a must-visit tourism destination and we want to provide a conducive environment for businesses in Malaysia to drive and boost tourism growth. With Visa coming on board as a preferred payments partner to help promote Malaysia as a tourist destination, we are confident that we can attract more inbound tourists and enhance their experiences here in the country.”

“Visa is excited to collaborate with Tourism Malaysia to promote Truly Asia Malaysia. This strategic partnership is a milestone for both Visa and Tourism Malaysia. Malaysia has many outstanding travel spots, and we want to help achieve Tourism Malaysia’s goal of becoming one of the world’s top tourist destinations. We are able to leverage our analytics capabilities to provide insights on travellers visiting Malaysia and our extensive global network to further help Tourism Malaysia promote Malaysia as a leading tourist destination in the world,” said Ng Kong Boon, Visa Country Manager for Malaysia. 

“In addition, Visa has more than 3.4 billion cards worldwide, and enabling our cardholders to make full use of their privileges when they travel using our preferred merchant programme is important to us,” added Ng Kong Boon.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia Surfcasting Tour 2020 @ Pantai Cahaya Negeri, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan ( 15 Mac 2020 )

Disertakan tarikh untuk TMST2020. Yg berhuruf gelap tu dah confirm tarikh dan tempat...manakala yg berhuruf light tu, masih dipertimbangkan dari segi lokasi (tarikh adalah tetap). Apapun kita layan dulu Port Dickson, 15 Mac ini.
-WakJali Event Management.

SUPER GT action back at Sepang after six years

Officially launched Super GT Malaysia Festival by Secretary General, Datuk Noor Zari Hamat (6 from left) Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia with VIP at Bora Ombak.

- NSTP/AMIRUDIN SAHIB.

KUALA LUMPUR: After a six-year absence, SUPER GT racing will make an explosive return to Malaysia on July 16-19 at Sepang Circuit, setting the stage for the world’s first ever GT night race and also the debut of an-all Malaysian team.

The SUPER GT Malaysia Festival is one of two races outside of Japan and will be round 5 of the 2020 Autobacs SUPER GT Series.

A major event in the Visit Malaysia 2020 calendar, the SUPER GT Malaysia Festival was officially launched today by Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia Secretary-General Datuk Dr. Noor Zari Hamat.

“SUPER GT racing continues to be a huge crowd puller worldwide and especially in Malaysia.

We thought long and hard about how to make it better and realised that a night race would present teams and drivers with a unique challenge, in addition to racing under extreme heat and unpredictable weather conditions,” said Haro Sports & Entertainment Managing Partner Fahrizal Hasan.

Haro Sports & Entertainment, the rights holder and promoter for SUPER GT Malaysia Festival 2020, has also been appointed by GT Association Ltd as the rights holders for SUPER GT content for all countries outside of Japan and Thailand.

Malaysia hosted the first overseas race of the All-Japan Grand Touring Championship with two exhibition races in 2000 and 2001 before Malaysia was officially included as a full-fledged championship round in 2002. Malaysia continued to host the Series' overseas rounds until 2013.

Fahrizal also announced that two Malaysian drivers, Jazeman Jaafar and Datuk Adrian da Silva, will pair up in a Porsche GT3 R to compete in the GT300 Class as one of two Malaysian wildcards for the race.

-nst online.

Malaysia looks to Emirates’ new Penang service to boost footfall

Emirates’ new Dubai-Penang service poised to take off from May 1

Malaysia’s travel trade is banking on Emirates’ upcoming service from Dubai to Penang, via Singapore, from May 1 to raise the profile of the destination among European travellers, especially as the new route coincides with the European Summer holidays.

The new service was originally scheduled for April 9.

Gotz Travel & Tours managing director, Sheikh Awadh Sheikh Abdullah, said the Singapore-Penang combo will make it easier to market to Europeans since it offers travellers the chance to see two destinations in one holiday trip.

“Singapore offers a city experience, while Penang offers an island experience, food, culture and the (experience of visiting the) UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town,” he added.

Arokia Das, director, WL Leisure, shared: “It is good timing as May is the start of the European Summer. We are looking at 10-day programmes – seven days in Malaysia and three days in Singapore. We will take advantage of the connectivity to contact our existing agent partners and cultivate new agent contacts throughout Europe.”

However, he warned that the Covid-19 outbreak could be a dampener. “Usually for future bookings, 80 to 90 per cent of the bookings are considered guaranteed. With the outbreak, only about 20 per cent of future bookings are guaranteed. It now all depends on how quickly the outbreak in Europe and Asia can be contained,” he said.

Agreeing, Kingston Khoo, director of sales and marketing at Mutiara Taman Negara Resort, said: “We had 40 to 50 per cent cancellations from March to May – and these were mainly from Italy, Central Europe and regional markets. We hope these new flights will attract more Eastern Europeans.

“We hope to see a spillover of business from the new flights, especially for European tourists who do overland trips from the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia to the southern region – from Penang to Cameron Highlands and then, Taman Negara; before moving on to Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and exiting through Singapore.”

-TTG Asia.

Postponement Of LANGKAWI ART BIENNALE 2020 To October 2020

It is with deep regret that we have to re-schedule the Langkawi Art Biennale 2020. We started working on this event since 2017 and there has been many changes for various unavoidable reasons. But the safety of our participants and visitors are more important. Due to the outbreak of Covid-19 worldwide, many of our participants from various countries have been advised not to travel or are unable to travel due to travel bans.

So, after careful consideration, we have decided that it is best to postpone it to 2 OCTOBER – 2 NOVEMBER 2020. Participants are invited to attend the first period, ie 2 OCTOBER – 8 OCTOBER 2020. (An itinerary will be sent out by email to all participants).

Then the exhibition will continue on to 2 November 2020, to give more time for more visitors to enjoy the hundreds of paintings in so many media, the many sculptures of different materials and the thought-provoking installations.

However, a few sculptors have already arrived in Langkawi for the Pre-LAB 2020 Sculptors workshop session, where they will search Langkawi for suitable ‘raw’ materials to be turned into works of art. This would be one of a series of Pre-LAB 2020 sessions to keep the ‘fire’ burning and create interest and awareness leading up to the main event – LANGKAWI ART BIENNALE 2020.

To all participants – we thank you very much for your patience and support. Such are the challenges of organizing an event, in our uphill task towards making Langkawi, an international contemporary art destination!

-Persatuan Pengurusan ArtMalaysia.

https://www.langkawiartbiennale.com

Fly Malaysia Airlines and be rewarded!

KLIA, 4 March 2020: In conjunction with its Fly Malaysia campaign, Malaysia Airlines will be rewarding lucky passengers with a pair of Economy or Business class tickets when they book their travels with the airline from now until 30 April 2020. Every 20,000^th passenger will receive a pair of Economy Class tickets while every 60,000^th passenger will win a pair of Business Class tickets to their destination of choice within 6 months from the date of the winning letter.

According to Malaysia Airlines Group Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Lau Yin May, “Fly Malaysia is all about providing our passengers with the amazing experience of Malaysian Hospitality throughout their journey with us, creating memorable travel moments.

This campaign aims to reward our passengers who have supported the national carrier throughout the many decades we have been serving the nation – because we’re not just any airline, we’re the people’s airline. We’re excited to reward every 20,000^th, 40,000^th, 80,000^th passenger and so on with a pair of Economy Class tickets to any destination within the Malaysia Airlines operated network, and every 60,000^th, 120,000^th, 180,000^th and so on with a pair of Business Class tickets to their destination of choice. It is as SIMPLE as that, with no strings attached! We hope to delight our passengers with these special gifts and we can’t wait to take them on their well-deserved holiday!”

Malaysia Airlines offers a premium travel experience with comprehensive products, embodying the diversity and rich culture of the country through its Malaysian Hospitality. From the convenience of making a flight booking on the web, mobile or an app for those on-the-go; to its Golden Lounges which are equipped with only the best facilities to help you relax before your flight, a sumptuous buffet spread to suit your palette, private spaces for work or a rest, or for those with children, a family corner and nursing room, Muslim prayer room, as well as restrooms with showers. Passengers can also pre-select their onboard meals well in advance with the Chef-On-Call service, ensuring they get the food they crave for the most. Economy Class passengers can also opt for our Meal Upgrade Service, allowing them to enjoy Business Class Meals, including our world-renowned Satay dish, giving them a taste of the Business Class experience onboard Malaysia Airlines.

Passengers also have the freedom to customize their experience to their preferences onboard, with free seat selection allowing passengers to secure their favorite seats, be it aisle or window, and even opt for an extra legroom seat at an affordable price for comfort. The comfort continues, with Economy Class passengers having the option to try the Neighbor Free Seat product, which allows them to buy the seat adjacent to them at a discounted rate, to maximize comfort. Passengers on our A350 aircraft may stay updated with the latest news or be connected with their family and friends even at 30,000 feet in the sky with our WiFi service onboard.

Committed to taking care of our passengers throughout their journey, Malaysia Airlines offers a one-stop-solution with services that enhance the travel experience by making it simpler, and faster. Even in getting to and from the airport, Malaysia Airlines has got you covered with a worldwide, airport transfer service, providing 24/7 service and emergency cover guaranteed, with your own choice of vehicle, hassle-free booking, creating outstanding value and quality. If you would rather enjoy more freedom and flexibility, Malaysia Airlines can facilitate even more value by helping you along with car rentals, finding you the best deals in 158 countries and 42 languages with the help of rentalcars.com. Once you’re out and about, do so with peace of mind with MHinsure travel insurance, which provides cover for up to 42 benefits including cashless hospital admission and extensive travel inconvenience benefits like home protection, pet care, sport equipment coverage and more.

Flying Malaysia Airlines provides unmatched flexibility for passengers, with features like Book Now, Pay Later which allows passengers to book and hold their flight tickets by just paying a small holding fee, and being able to defer payment up to 72 hours, giving passengers the time to shore up their travel plans. Not only that, there are also options for zero-interest installment payments for up to 12 months. In addition, Economy Class passengers can also take advantage to enjoy a more exclusive and premium travelling experience by upgrading to Business Class at a discounted price thanks to the Last-Minute Upgrade option.

Looking to plan your next trip? Head on to malaysiaairlines.com to get more information and book your flights! To make sure you never miss out on great deals like these, as well as the many more exciting promotions and exclusives we have in store, download the Malaysia Airlines app today!

-Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia Airlines ties up with Travelport

Malaysia Airlines has signed a new multi-year content agreement with Travelport, which will give more than 68,000 agencies servicing hundreds of millions of travellers worldwide real-time access to search, book and sell the content and inventory of Malaysia Airlines.

The carrier will also join over 300 other airlines using Travelport’s Rich Content and Branding merchandising tool, which gives agencies a graphically rich experience when searching for and booking branded fares.

Additionally, Travelport Digital Media Solutions, including Travelport Sponsored Flights and Destination Banners, will be used by Malaysia Airlines to promote its flight options through highly targeted advertising toolkits and campaigns.

Lau Yin May, chief marketing and customer experience officer of Malaysia Airlines, said: “It is most important to capture eyeballs when agents are flooded by thousands of options to offer passengers. We fly to over 1,000 destinations around the world and Travelport’s edge in technology innovations, air merchandising and digital marketing will help Malaysia Airlines better fulfil the demands of travellers and seize growth opportunities in today’s highly competitive environment.”

Chris Ramm, vice president Asia Pacific, air partners at Travelport, said: “Following the airline’s launch of new flexible fare options last year, I believe Travelport Rich Content and Branding will further empower Malaysia Airlines to offer more flexibility to travellers who increasingly demand personalised travel experience. Our Digital Media Solutions will also support Malaysia Airlines in global and tactical sales campaigns to promote its product offerings.”

-TTG Asia.

HYPE Motorsports Hotel Port Dickson Meeting Package

-HYPE Motorsports Hotel Port Dickson.

Marriott to debut Four Points by Sheraton in Malaysia

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Continental Management, a member of the SKS Group Malaysia, to bring the Four Points by Sheraton brand to Desaru in Johor, Malaysia.

Under the agreement, SKS Group will refurbish and convert its existing 311-room Amansari Residence Desaru property to Four Points by Sheraton hotel.

Slated to open in 2021, Four Points by Sheraton Desaru will be located close to Desaru’s attractions, including SKS City Mall, Desaru City Commercial Hub, as well as Desaru Coast, an amalgamation of an adventure waterpark and 45-hole championship golf course.

-TTG Asia.

Tourism Malaysia And Sharp Launch AQUOS 8K VM2020 Video Collaboration

KUALA LUMPUR, 28 February 2020: Tourism Malaysia and SHARP Electronics (Malaysia) today launched the AQUOS 8K VM2020 Video Collaboration in Pavillion shopping mall. 

Dato’ Dr. Noor Zari Hamat, Secretary General Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, Mr Yoshihiro Hashimoto, Managing Officer Head of President office, and Mr. Robert Wu, SHARP Deputy CEO of ASEAN and Managing Director, also present in the ceremony.

In the spirit of Visit Malaysia 2020, Tourism Malaysia and SHARP unveiled their highly anticipated production titled ‘Truly Aquos 8K, Truly Asia Malaysia’ to captivate tourists across SHARP’s extensive network, both locally and globally. 

Robert Wu, said, “SHARP is thrilled to promote Malaysia to the world through this creative collaboration with Tourism Malaysia. We can all agree there is no place like Malaysia. We have beautiful rainforests, friendly people, unique architecture, and charming islands. What sets the ‘Truly Aquos 8K, Truly Asia Malaysia’ production apart is the presence of our 8K technology which captures every micro-detail and moment and presents it to our audience in the same manner as if experiencing it in real life. SHARP is happy to support Tourism Malaysia and complement their efforts to boost interest among holidaymakers, especially potential travellers who are also customers across our global SHARP network.”

“Malaysia continues to be a melting pot of cultures with the right mix of urban and natural charms. It is refreshing to see this brought to life visually through the lens of new technology, such as Aquos 8K VM2020 Video. And amid the current challenge faced by the tourism sector as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we believe precautionary measures to safeguard the well-being of travellers will strengthen confidence among tourists planning their journey to Malaysia,” said Dato’ Dr. Noor Zari.

The production team created two videos, with a duration of two minutes each, themed, ‘Amazing’ and ‘Diversity’ to represent the qualities that best describe Malaysia. The process took approximately 240 hours within 20 days in production and 16 days in post-production.

Malaysia, being one of the most multicultural nations in Southeast Asia, inspired the videos which embody raw and genuine human essence derived from diverse ethnicities and a myriad of cultures. Several recognisable attractions featured in both videos were shot at locations like Sekinchan in Selangor, the Mossy Forest in Pahang, Central Melaka, Tanjung Rhu in Langkawi, the Thean Hou Temple and Gelanggang Tok Cindai in Kuala Lumpur. The Sarawak Cultural Village and Pom Pom Island in Sabah, are also featured as well as among others.

SHARP and Tourism Malaysia engaged established award-winning Malaysian film and content house, Chilli Pepper Films to spearhead the ‘Truly Aquos 8K, Truly Asia Malaysia’ production. Together with Mark Toia, a Kiwi-born, Australian-bred globally acclaimed commercial director, and Cameron Michael, a New York-based nature cinematographer and director of photographer, the team breathe life into the ‘Amazing’ and ‘Diverse’ videos. Braving the elements and responsibility of capturing Malaysia’s sights and sounds, the production team has become the first to shoot an 8K video in Malaysia. 

The creative vision and execution coupled with state-of-the art 8K video quality of the ‘Amazing’ video won global recognition at the Asia Destination Film Awards 2020 in Bangkok in January this year. The video took home the award in the Tourism Board category, overcoming 1,000 other submissions and 34 shortlisted films.

The ‘Truly Aquos 8K, Truly Asia Malaysia’ videos are the result of a Memorandum of Joint Collaboration Partnership signed by Tourism Malaysia and SHARP in 2019 with the aim to boost promotion of the VM2020 campaign. The promotional videos bearing Malaysia’s attractions will be showcased at 19,500 stores (195,000 TV panels) across SHARP’s global network.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Bandar Malaysia named title sponsor for Malaysia Open 2020

(From left) Asian Tour director of partnerships Charlie Tingey, Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo’s representative Datuk Majid Manjit Abdullah, Mohd Anwar, Olympic Council of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria and Arep unveiling the new Bandar Malaysia Open 2020 logo at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Selangor.

SHAH ALAM: After a four-year absence, the Malaysia Open makes a welcome return in two weeks when the 55th edition tees off at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club with a new title sponsor and a new name.

Bandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd has been named the title sponsor for the historic championship this year,  thus it will be known as the Bandar Malaysia Open. 

Bandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd is the master developer of Bandar Malaysia, a 486-acre (196.7ha) mixed development in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

“The much-storied championship is the pride of Malaysia’s golfing community and we are happy that Bandar Malaysia shares our passion in growing the profile of golf in this country. Having Bandar Malaysia on board as the title sponsor certainly adds prominence to this world-class professional event and we look forward to an exciting week come March 5 to 8,” said Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor, president of tournament custodian Malaysian Golf Association, during a press conference at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club yesterday.

The Malaysia Open was last held in 2015 as a joint Asian Tour and European Tour event at TPC Kuala Lumpur but was discontinued when title sponsor Maybank decided to stage its own event. This year’s tournament will see a modified platform, sanctioned by the Asian Tour in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour, with 40 spots reserved for Malaysian players. The Malaysian spots will be allocated to 30 professionals and 10 amateurs, including four junior golfers.

With the tag line “Pride, Passion, Prominence”, the Bandar Malaysia Open offers a total prize fund of US$1 million (RM4.16 million) with US$180,000 for the winner.

Bandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd is 60% owned by IWH-CREC Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd (IWH) and China Railway Engineering Corp (M) Sdn Bhd. The remaining 40% is held by TRX City Sdn Bhd, wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Inc.

“The Bandar Malaysia Open offers the opportunity for Malaysian players — professionals and amateurs — to compete against the best players from the Asian and Japan tours. This professional event will certainly put Malaysia on the regional golfing map and it is an honour for us to play our part in making the Bandar Malaysia Open a huge success,” IWH executive vice-chairman Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo said.

The tournament’s other sponsors are Tree Technologies and Tourism Malaysia (co-sponsors), Kota Permai Golf & Country Club (host venue), Mazda (official car), Sunway Clio Hotel (official hotel), 100PLUS (official drink), Callaway (official equipment), Titoni (official timekeeper), Crest Link (official apparel), Kenwood (official communications) and Luen Heng (official spirits).

The Edge and Malay Mail are the media partners, and Golf Malaysia the official magazine. The championship is also supported by TM unifi, Red Crescent and Shah Alam City Council.

The Bandar Malaysia Open is promoted by a new sports marketing company, Winning Matters Sdn Bhd, headed by chief executive officer Arep Kulal.

The Bandar Malaysia project occupies the former Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Sungai Besi, which includes a nine-hole golf course of Kelab Rekreasi Angkatan Tentera (Armed Forces Recreation Club). The golf course will cease operations next month and the club will move to a new site in Sedayan, near Seremban.

Kota Permai Golf & Country Club also hosted the Malaysia Open in 2008 when India’s Arjun Atwal won a play-off against defending champion Peter Hedblom of Sweden. Crafted by Australian architect Ross Watson, the par-72, 6,328m Kota Permai course, rated as one of the best in Asia, is renowned for slick and challenging greens.

-www.theedgemarkets.com

Malaysia Participates In The 10th Jeddah International Travel And Tourism Exhibition (JTTX10) 2020

JEDDAH, 26 February 2020: Tourism Malaysia today launched its pavilion at the Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (JTTX10) 2020 in Saudi Arabia, from 26 to 28 February 2020, to promote Malaysia as a preferred tourist destination and magnify publicity of the Visit Malaysia Year VM2020 campaign to the travel industry players in the Middle East.

JTTX is the leading Travel B2B & B2C event in Saudi Arabia that gave exhibitors an unmatched platform to showcase their travel destinations and services, build new partnership and target new high-value customers in a large and promising travel market. Exhibitors from 16 travel sectors across Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries including national tourism organization representing 29 countries participated in this event. 

As a prelude to the JTTX10, Tourism Malaysia had successfully participated in a travel trade workshop in Medinah aimed at further strengthening the VM2020 campaign in the Gulf nation.

JTTX10 marks the second time participation for Tourism Malaysia in this event after 2016, where it leads a delegation of Malaysian industry players to participate in the exhibition. Among the Malaysian organisations involved in the exhibition are Sunway Hotels and Resorts, Ritz Carlton Langkawi, Aloft Hotel, Tamu Hotel, Malaysia Airlines, and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA).

During the 3-day event, Malaysia will highlight its stunning natural environment, exciting array of cultural adventures, and global reputation as a safe, family-friendly destination that cater specially for the Middle Eastern market. The aim of the participation is also to promote the diversities of attractions and services in Malaysia, as well as to update the local industry players on the latest developments in Malaysia.

According to head delegation, Dato Dr. Noor Zari Hamat, Secreatary General Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, “We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate and cooperate with some of the best industry players here such as Etihad Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Air Arabia, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Modon Travel, HolidayMe, Orient Travel and Al Rais Travel.”

JTTX10 is also an effective and strategic platform to promote travel packages to the Arabian countries right before their summer holiday, which would begin in May until the end of the pilgrimage month, and to announce that Malaysia is safe to travel, despite the Covid-19 outbreak which has become the major concern in many parts of the world.

The Middle East is seen as a key market for the country, which was recently named the number one destination for Muslim travellers for the ninth consecutive year by Singapore-based CrescentRating, the world's leading authority on Halal Travel. The ranking is based on an annual online survey covering several criteria, including the availability of Halal food, access to prayer facilities and Muslim-friendly services in hotels, and the overall safety and security of each destination. 

A total of 121,444 tourists from Saudi Arabia visited Malaysia in 2019 compared to 112,263 tourists in 2018, registering an increase of 8.2%. Saudi Arabian tourists continued to top the average length of stay (ALOS) with 10.8 nights and the average expenditure per capita with RM11,555.40. Malaysia is certainly stepping up its promotion this year for Visit Malaysia 2020, during which the target is to welcome 30 million tourists from around the world and receive RM100 billion in tourist receipts.

-Tourism Malaysia.