Malaysia’s Tourism Highlights – NOVEMBER 2013

PUTRAJAYA, 18 September 2013 – The year 2013 is coming to an end; local and foreign visitors are welcomed to visit Malaysia and celebrate the month of November with a series of exciting and memorable events.

Highlights of the month include:

 

Say Y.E.S for Year-End Sale!

Celebrate the last two months of the year with a fabulous shopping experience throughout the country during the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale 2013!

 

Ranked by CNN as the world’s 4th best shopping city, Kuala Lumpur is now on the world shopping map! Hurry up, mark your calendar and don’t miss the chance to load your shopping carts with gifts, branded items and everything else you want to buy with great discounts at supermarkets, stores and malls!

 

Organiser: Tourism Malaysia

Date: 8 November 2013 – 5 January 2014

Venue: Nationwide

Contact: +6 03 8891 9000

Website: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my 

 

LABUAN REMEMBRANCE DAY 2013

Labuan Remembrance Day 2013, or better known as “Poppy Day”, is a poignant event held to commemorate the fallen heroes who have fought selflessly for the country during World War II.

 

Each year, at the 11th hour, on the first Sunday closest to November 11, war veterans from the Commonwealth countries and visitors will gather to witness the Buglers, Bagpipers and Vigil Guards march and pay their tribute to the brave souls of yesteryears.

 

Organiser: Labuan Corporation, Department Tourism, Culture & Arts

Date: 10 November 2013

Venue: Labuan World War II Memorial Park

Website: www.pl.gov.my

Contact: +6 087 408 741 / 744

 

Let’s sail and race!

The annual challenging offshore sailing race – 24th Raja Muda Selangor International Regatta (RMSIR) 2013 is back with three overnight passage races: Port Klang to Pangkor, Pangkor to Penang and Penang to Langkawi, plus three days of harbour racing in Penang and Langkawi.

The event attracts a large variety of yachts from top class IRC1 racers to slow classic cruisers dating back over 100 years. To improve the race standard, RMSIR 2013 has set the starting point at the new Royal Selangor Yacht Club (RSYC) Marina Annexe, Pulau Indah while Telaga Harbour is the final regatta destination.

 

Organiser: The Royal Selangor Yacht Club (RSYC)

Date: 15 – 23 November 2013

Venue: Port Klang – Pangkor – Penang – Langkawi

Website: www.rmsir.com

Contact: +6 03 3168 6964

 

The pandas are going to love it!

Celebrate the versatility of bamboo in the form of musical expression at Tamparuli Bamboo Music Festival 2013 with traditional music performances by the Bamboo Music Orchestra, traditional sports and bamboo product exhibits!

 

Don’t miss the chance to witness the beauty of sounds created by bamboo’s wind and percussion instrument such as the sompoton (bamboo aerophone), bungkaw (jaw harp) and seruling (flute).

 

Organiser: Tamparuli District Office & 

Kinabalu Bamboo Music Orchestra Association (OMBAK)

Date: 27 November 2013

Venue: Dewan Tun Hamdan, Tamparuli, Sabah

Contact: +6 088 782 357 / +6 013 876 0358 (Jane Thing)

Email: jane_thng@yahoo.com

Website: www.sabahtourism.com

-Tourism Malaysia.

Lawak Ke Der 3 @ Istana Budaya

Tajuk	: Lawak Ke Der 3
Tempat	: Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya
Tarikh	: 3 - 6 Oktober 2013
Masa	: 3.00 PM & 8.30 PM
Tiket	: RM46, RM96, RM126, RM176, RM196, RM356
Maklumat Lanjut	: www.ticket2u.biz : 03-4026 5558 / 03-4147 8600

-www.istanabudaya.gov.my

VIXX First Global Showcase 2013 'The Milky Way' Live In Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur – 6-member South Korean male idol group VIXX will be holding their first solo showcase in Malaysia on October 2013. The ‘VIXX FIRST Global Showcase 2013’ ‘THE MILKY WAY’ Live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will be held in HGH Convention Center on the 20th of October 2013 ,1pm .

Jazzy Group are proud to bring VIXX to Malaysia for their very first showcase to fulfill the wishes of fellow ST☆RLIGHTS. We know that the fans out there have long waited for them to set foot in the ground of Malaysia. Feeling excited to finally meet the handsome and talented boys of VIXX? It is now your chance to grab this opportunity as this will definitely be a spectacular showcase that you have ever dreamed of!

For the first 300 fans those purchase the VIP Zone, will entitle to get passes for High 5 and Photograph session with the boys! So, what are you waiting for? Grab your tickets now to stand a chance to get these passes! It’s an incredibly rare opportunity just for you, fellow ST☆RLIGHTS!

The ticket price is listed as below:

• RM 483 (VIP Zone) with High 5 and Photograph passes (Only available in Jazzy Group office)
• RM 283 (Zone I)
• RM 103 (Zone X)

 *Ticket price include RM3 ticket processing fees. Ticket will be open on sale at Jazzy Group and TicketCharge from 19 September 2013.

-www.ticketcharge.com.my

Tirta Spa "Siraman Bidadari" @ Seri Pacific Kuala lumpur

-www.seripacific.com

New Malaysian Restaurant In Frankfurt Attracting Food Lovers

FRANKFURT, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The Munchener Strasse in Frankfurt, a strategically located street in the proximity of the city's central railway station, is dotted with small Asian and Turkish eateries, grocery stores, an improvised mosque for the growing Muslim community in the city, and other establishments offering other creature comforts.

However, Munchener Strasse has a major attraction, particularly to Malaysians and other Southeast Asians, in the form of a new restaurant called Selera which offers Malaysian cuisine. The restaurant is run by two partners, Kee Chuan Lim and Chan Mei Leng, both from Perak state in Malaysia.

Chan's husband Yoong Nam Sang, a native of Pahang and a professional cook, churns out a wide range of Malaysian dishes that represent Malaysia's three Major culinary cultures -- the Chinese, Indian and Malay.

Some of the popular dishes offered by Selera include curry chicken, beef rendang, assam laksa, kancong belacan, Hainan chicken rice, roti canai and satay. "All the dishes with the typical assam flavour are very popular amongst our guests," Lim said in an interview with Bernama.

After a slow start in the first few weeks of its opening -- it was inaugurated in April this year in the presence of the local Malaysian community, including staff members of the Malaysian consulate, and other government agencies -- Selera is today well-patronised not only by Malaysians and other Asians but also by Germans.

"Whenever there is a trade fair in Frankfurt, there is, usually, a long line of guests at our restaurant waiting for a table to get vacant. The guests pour in. But even otherwise we are happy with our customer base which is now increasing by 15 to 20 per cent each month," claimed Lim as he pointed to the packed house of diners.

Lim, who arrived in Germany in the 1980s and did an Immersion study course in German language, stayed on after his language study and saw a surge in demand for Chinese food then. He opened a Chinese restaurant in Frankfurt which, however, did not do well. He worked for sometime in Chinese restaurants and later decided to open a Malaysian restaurant providing the unique Malaysian cuisine that blends the country's three main cultures -- Chinese, Indian and Malay. Chan, who formerly worked at another Chinese-Malaysian restaurant called Jade -- it is located very close to Selera -- quit her job to start Selera together with Lim.

Recounting the evolutionary change in the average German's taste buds which had for decades become accustomed to a lacklustre staple of bland meat, potatoes and sauerkraut, Germans today take delight in eating what was once described as "exotic food", the euphemism for spicy food originating from Turkey through India and Thailand to China and Japan.

"Germans tell us that they love spicy food. Many Germans who have visited Malaysia frequently visit our restaurant. We also get guests from the Malaysian Club in Frankfurt who also bring friends and relatives.

"Malaysians in and around Frankfurt are happy that there is a Malaysian restaurant here," said Lim who also owns another restaurant in the neighbouring city of Darmstadt.

The opening of Malaysian restaurants abroad, particularly in countries that have extensive trade, tourism and business ties with Malaysia,should be seen as a vehicle to promote trade and tourism. India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam have benefited from the mushrooming of restaurants representing their specific culinary characteristics.

"Malaysia should take a cue from other countries, particularly India and Thailand, whose tourism and trade have considerably benefited from the proliferation of such restaurants in the major developed nations.

"Perhaps, the responsible agencies like Matrade and Tourism Malaysia could promote the country's trade and tourism by taking greater interest in highlighting the culinary culture of Malaysia in Germany.

"After all, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" observed Arnold Schmidt, a German businessman who was partaking his curry laksa at Selera with a Malaysian business associate, and reminiscing of his several visits to Malaysia.
-bernama.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Selera-Malaysian-Restaurant/177532169069069

Young Malaysian Chef Wows Elite Crowd In Moscow With Fusion Food

MOSCOW, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- A young Malaysian chef, Rashidin Abdul Rashid, is making waves among the jet-set and new rich in the Moscow restaurant scene with his Pan-Asian fusion cuisine.

And the 32-year-old from Seberang Perai in Penang makes no less than RM70,000 a night at RONI along Petrovka Street, right smack in the high-end shopping district where the priciest and swankiest Moscow department store TSUM is located and just a stone's throw from the Red Square and Kremlin.

That's not all. His creativity in the kitchen and rave reviews from food critics have also catapulted him to fame and cook private dinners for the rich and famous, among them Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev.

He has also been flown on private jets by Russian billionaires to cook at theme parties in Monaco and other parts of Europe. And he can count on celebrities like supermodel Kate Moss and actress Elizabeth Hurley as among his customers.

So what is exactly Rashidin's Pan-Asian fusion cuisine that has earned him his celebrity status and making him more popular by the day?

"It's about making use of what is available or known in Asian cuisines and preparing them to suit the Russian taste. So I take samples of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Korean and other types of Asian cooking and use my creativity to turn them into dishes that will be well-liked by the people here," Rashidin, who used to work at the KL Hilton and Shangri-la in Kuala Lumpur, told Bernama in an interview at his almost packed restaurant.

For example, if one takes apart his Kamchatka crab noodles, it is actually the famous Malaysian dish of "mi kari", which usually has a heavy dose of chilly paste, coconut milk, chicken and cockles. But Rashidin has tweaked all that to a dish that has a subtle hint of chilly stirred in coconut milk and milk encompassing rice noodles with adequate portions of the gigantic Kamchatka crab meat and fresh vegetables as garnishing.

A diner has to fork out almost RM50 for a small bowl but that is chicken feed to the scores of well-to-do people who come to his restaurant for "every bit of Asia".

Rashidin offers some 70 types of dishes ranging from shashimi, dim-sum, rendang to kimchi at his restaurant. But he is always experimenting and he usually does this in the late afternoon after the busy lunch hours and before the dining crowd fills his restaurant at night.

He wins the hearts of his diners by letting them try his new creations for free and if the feedback is good, then that dish will be soon on special offer or the recipe is filed away for use at another time. "I have even mi mamak done in a style that's well-liked by the Russians," says Rashidin, also known as the innovative and trendy Chef Mamu, who came to Moscow seven years ago.

It all started when he had finished his two-year cooking stint at a hotel in the Maldives that he was asked by another chef to try it out in Moscow.

From a so-called "apprentice", he became a sensation after six months in a restaurant owned by famous Russian restaurateur Arkadij Novikov, who three years later asked Rashidin to start a new restaurant, the present RONI. The creativity in Rashidin makes all the difference and sets RONI apart from other restaurants in Moscow. And his personal touch with the diners takes his reputation several notches higher.

Rashidin takes the trouble to sit down with diners after their meal and ask for feedback. And he makes them feel on top of the world when he tells them that they can phone him ahead of their next visit so that he can whip out something to suit their palate.

With his status as a celebrity chef who occasionally cooks for the Russian prime minister, such a gesture makes for terrific public relations for Rashidin.

"The trouble with such an offer is that sometimes the diners, many of whom have become my friends, won't want to come to my restaurant if I am not working on certain days," he explains.

Rashidin's growing reputation among the elite crowd has also made Malaysia's ambassador to the Russian Federation, Datuk Zainal Abidin Omar, extremely proud. "When people find out that I am from Malaysia, they often ask me whether I had dined at RONI's," he says.

Tan Yang Thai, the Minister Counsellor at the Malaysian embassy here, says Rashidin has been able to capitalise on the rising demand among well-to-do Russians looking for exotic tastes. "He does it very well because of his creativity in coming out with a variety of dishes from almost all parts of Asia," he said.

For Rashidin, it looks he is going to stay in Moscow for a good number of years. "The money is good, the people here are willing to spend and so here I am," he says, adding that not knowing the Russian language when he first came was not a barrier for him as he made his food do all the talking.

"My boss told me to concentrate on producing good food. To be successful as a chef in a foreign country, you need to give full concentration to your job and nothing else," says Rashidin, whose boss, Novikov, has also helped him to open a Chinese-style noodle shop just a few doors from RONI on a profit-sharing arrangement.
-bernama.
https://www.facebook.com/RORI.Asian.Grill.Bar

Malaysia Airlines Increases Capacity Across Network

Subang, 20 September 2013: Malaysia Airlines is on an expansion mode with capacity and frequency increases regionally and new destinations internationally.

“In the recent weeks, we launched flights to Dubai and Kochi and increased capacity and frequencies to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) and Medan (Indonesia). Soon, we will be flying more often to Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as putting Darwin back in our network map”, says Malaysia Airlines Group CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya.

“People are travelling more, and Malaysia Airlines is strengthening our footprint across Asia and beyond in response to these market needs”, added Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. 

Malaysia Airlines has seen a steady increase in passenger traffic since the start of 2013 matching the added capacity. Seat loads have also improved, registering 83.3% in July 2013, equivalent to a 9.1% increase from the previous year.

Malaysia Airlines recently celebrated the reinstatement of its Kuala Lumpur – Dubai service in August 2013. Kochi, in south India, became its new destination in September. Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory is the Malaysian national carrier’s new destination in November 2013.

Capacity and Frequency increases:

· Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei – Saw an 11% increase in capacity into and out of Bandar Seri Begawan with the bigger B737-800 series (160-seats) aircraft effective 15 August 2013 which replaces the previous B737-400 series.

· Medan, Indonesia – Added a third daily frequency from Kuala Lumpur into the Medan effective 15 September 2013, making it 6,720 seats weekly in and out of Medan.

· Singapore - New daily flights MH623 ex-Kuala Lumpur for Singapore and MH624 ex-Singapore for Kuala Lumpur offer more seamless travel and good connections to popular destinations such as Delhi and Beijing.

· Sydney, Australia - Double daily operations from Sydney will be increased with 4 additional weekly flights bringing it to 18 flights per week from 21 November 2013. This will increase to 21 weekly flights from 5^th February 2014.

· Melbourne, Australia - Malaysia Airlines is also increasing its frequency from Kuala Lumpur into Melbourne to triple daily from 21 November 2013, from its current double daily service. The new frequency, MH147 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 7.50 pm daily and will arrive in Melbourne at 6.45 am the following day. MH146 from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur will depart at 8.55 am and will arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 2.15 pm the same day.

Customers can book their travel on Malaysia Airlines through all distribution channels mainly www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines 24 hours toll free number 1 300 88 3000, MHmobile, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents throughout Malaysia.

-Malaysia Airlines.

Malaysia's New Ecotourism Hub Is Hornbill Capital Of The World

PUTRAJAYA, 20 September, 2013 – The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia is promoting the Belum Temengor Forest Complex and the Aman Jaya Forest Reserve as Malaysia’s new eco-tourism destinations through the International Hornbill Expedition (IHE) 2013 in Belum Rainforest Reserve, Gerik, Perak, happening from 20 to 22 September 2013.

The Belum Temengor Forest Complex is reputed to be more than 130 million years old, the oldest in the world, and older than the Amazon forest and Congo basin. Meanwhile the Aman Jaya Forest Reserve is a newly gazetted Permanent Forest Reserve (18,866ha) – a 3 km width development corridor flanking the East West Highway along Gerik and Jeli that separates Royal Belum State Park and Temengor Forest Reserve.

“We have been playing a crucial role in the conservation of the planet’s oldest forest and we are now proud to establish the site as the Hornbill Capital of the World,” said Mohamed Shah Redza Hussein, the Executive Director for Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

He added, “There are 10 hornbill species that have been categorised as “Totally Protected” by the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, and all of these are found at Belum Temengor Forest Complex and Aman Jaya Forest Reserve.”

The 10 species are the White-crowned, Bushy-crested, Wrinkled, Wreathed, Plain-pouched, Black, Oriental Pied, Rhinoceros, and Great and Helmeted Hornbills, making the Belum Temengor Forest Complex an Important Bird Area (IBA) recognised by BirdLife International, a global partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.

YBhg Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, said “Tourism Malaysia is proud to be a part of this initiative because of the two-pronged approach of increasing awareness towards Malaysia’s ecotourism sites and contributing towards its conservation. Such partnership will ensure the sustainability of Malaysia’s natural resources and our economic growth.”

The IHE 2013 is organized to coincide with the migration period of the globally threatened Plain-pouched Hornbills found at the site. International participants, local birdwatchers and nature guides are expected to take part in the IHE 2013 which will have a birdathon for national and international delegates and a Hornbill Education Camp for young adults.

“This event will be a great platform for promoting the area as the hornbill hub of Malaysia and I look forward to this being one of the packages sold for Visit Malaysia Year 2014,” Dato’ Mirza said.
-Tourism Malaysia.

AirAsia expands loyalty programme with Big launch in Singapore

AirAsia launched today in Singapore its Big loyalty programme, which will also be introduced in China, India and the Philippines at a later date.  

This programme, which was first rolled out in 2011 in Malaysia, allows travellers to accumulate loyalty points which are redeemable for free flights and other add-ons like baggage. It has also been rolled out in Indonesia and Thailand.

In Singapore, the LCC has partnered local companies DBS Bank and StarHub, giving customers from both brands the opportunity to convert their reward points to Big points.

AirAsia Group CEO, Tony Fernandes, said the programme had 700,000 members to date, and he is aiming to “rapidly grow” this number to one million within the next few years.

“As the first low cost airline in this region to offer a loyalty programme, this is a great way for us to differentiate ourselves from the other airlines,” he added.

While AirAsia continues to be aggressive in its consumer-direct strategy, Fernandes said the airline is also starting to grow its business from the trade.

For example, it launched last year a new travel booking tool, Amadeus LCC Smart, allowing travel consultants to book AirAsia content within the Amadeus GDS.

“Doors are open to all travel agencies and we are open to do business with any of them. For instance, we have 4,000 travel agencies with us in Indonesia today,” he said.

Fernandes said: “We may look at a loyalty scheme for travel (consultants) at a later time but for now Big is more consumer-driven, and obviously (agencies) can benefit from more people flying with us.”

-TTG Asia.

Malaysia Wins Two PATA Gold Awards

CHENGDU, CHINA, 17 Sept 2013: Malaysia bagged two Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) 2013 Gold Awards in the Marketing Media and Environment Education categories here. This year’s awards recognise achievements of 22 organisations and individuals who are actively involved in the travel and tourism industry.

The 2013 PATA Gold Award in the Marketing Media – Print Advertisement Category was won by the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) for its “Re-Imaging” Campaign.  CEO of STB Y.Bhg. Dato’ Rashid Khan received the award.

The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa won the 2013 PATA Gold Award in the Environment – Educational Programme Category for its “Eco-Walk & Training at the Frangipani”. The award was received by Mr. Anthony Wong, the proprietor of the Frangipani.

“I am extremely pleased with the gold awards won by the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa and I congratulate them for their commitment towards the tourism industry,” said YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Tourism and Culture.

“It is imperative that everyone involved in the business of the travel and tourism industry ensure that the highest professional standards of excellence in service are maintained at all times,” he continued.

A total of 26 Grand and Gold Awards were presented on 15 September during the PATA Gold Awards Luncheon and Presentation, prior to the PATA Travel Mart on 16-17 September. The awards were presented to the ‘Best-of’ winners in Education and Training, Environment, Heritage and Culture, Marketing Campaign, Marketing Media and Travel Journalism categories. The PATA Gold Awards were sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO).     

The Director of MGTO Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said, “Our hearty congratulations go out to all PATA Gold Awards 2013 winners. The list of PATA Gold Awards 2013 winners fully reveals the great dynamism of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. The innovation and excellence brought by the winners will inspire the rest of the region to do more and better through this meaningful PATA awards programme.”

“The award winners have demonstrated a high degree of creativity and excellence,” said PATA CEO Martin J. Craigs. "We would like to extend our warmest congratulations and we are delighted to recognise these achievements at the PATA Gold Awards Luncheon in Chengdu.” he continued.

The Minister of Tourism & Culture Malaysia YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz led a delegation to participate in this year’s PATA Travel Mart, which took place in Chengdu, China, from 15-17 September.

Through its participation, Malaysia aims to raise awareness of the celebration of Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014 and also the hosting of the 33rd ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Kuching, Sarawak, which will take place from 16 to 23 January 2014. The prestigious event will see the arrival of many tourism ministers, senior officials, and industry players.

In conjunction with PATA Travel Mart, Tourism Malaysia organised a 2014 Visit Malaysia Year Luncheon on 16 Sept for PATA delegates and senior officials, as well as a special media briefing where YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri introduced Impression Melaka. It is a special outdoor musical shows to be organised in Melaka, in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014. This mega outdoor performance is jointly organised between Malaysian based company, PTS Impression Sdn Bhd, and a Chinese production company, China Impression Wonders Art Development Co Ltd. 

The musical show, which can accommodate 2000 pax, will portray the Melaka sultanate during the era of Admiral Zheng He visit. There will be two shows nightly, beginning October 2014. Melaka will be the first city outside China to stage the musical show. It is expected to attract a lot of tourists not only from China market but other countries as well.

Besides attending PATA Travel Mart, YB Dato’ Seri Nazri also visited Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Centre and Jin Sha Site Museum to look at the operations of these tourism products.

Next month, Malaysia will play host to the World Tourism Conference 2013 in Melaka from 21 to 23. The conference is expected to bring together world leaders in tourism, high-level policymakers, specialists and experts from both the public and private sectors to share experiences, put forward valuable ideas and provide guidance for tourism development.  

Besides that, another major event that will be held in October is the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, from 11 to 13.
-Tourism Malaysia.

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 Campaign Launched In Northern China

Urumqi (Xinjiang, China), 18 September, 2013 - Tourism Malaysia has launched the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 (VMY) campaign today in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang, North-western China, to create awareness of VMY 2014 to the travel trade fraternity and media here. 

The promotion of VMY 2014 in Northern China is further strengthened with the launch of three new tourism packages to Malaysia in this market which focuses on heritage, nature and -- due to the large Muslim population here -- halal tourism. These packages will be sold beginning the fourth quarter of this year right until the end of 2014.

The new packages are:

1. Kuala Lumpur + Penang + Langkawi Tour (including Penang history, heritage and cuisine tour, Langkawi Payar Island tour);

2. Kuala Lumpur + Kota Kinabalu 7-day Tour (Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and Mount Kinabalu experience); and

3. Halal Tour (Kuala Lumpur + Terengganu + Redang Island + Putrajaya Halal tour; 7-day tour with visits to various mosques, local homestay experience and Redang Island).

In heavily promoting VMY 2014, the Tourism Malaysia delegation will also meet the media through press conferences and press interviews, and meet with local tourism administration officers and major travel agents. A special lunch will be hosted for local tourism officers, major outbound tour operators and local media in order to raise awareness of the grand celebration next year and to thank them for their continuous support in promoting Malaysia.

This Urumqi trip follows Tourism Malaysia's meeting with top tour operators in Beijing last week to discuss China's tourism law which will be implemented on 1st October 2013. The implementation of the tourism law is expected to impact the type of tours offered in Malaysia to China tourists and is a chance for Malaysia to sell itself as a single destination and as a high-end holiday choice.

China has been a very important source market for inbound tourists to Malaysia. Last year Malaysia received 1,558,785 Chinese tourists, indicating an increase by 24.6% from 1,250,536 in 2011.

Arrivals from this market continue to increase rapidly this year; the first half of the year has recorded 943,756 arrivals from China, an increase of 24.5% from the same period in 2012. Tourism Malaysia has set a target of 1.7 million tourists from China market.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia And Thailand Further Strengtens Tourism Cooperation For Mutual Properity

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 September, 2013 – The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) and the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) pledging enhanced joint cooperation and development of tourism in both countries here last Saturday.

MATTA President, En. Hamzah Rahmat and TTAA President, Mr. Suthiphong Pheunphiphop were signatories to the MoU which was witnessed by Tourism Malaysia Director of ASEAN, Syed Yahya Syed Othman, during a mega familiarization dinner hosted by Tourism Malaysia for Thailand travel agents in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014.

Under the terms of the MoU, both MATTA and TTAA pledged to further strengthen joint cooperation in the development of tourism including participation in travel marts, exhibitions and other relevant tourism events especially in view of VMY 2014 and implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015. 

AEC is a regional economic integration envisaging ASEAN into a single market with free movement of goods, service, investments, skilled labour and freer flow of capital for the mutual benefit of its member countries.

“This close rapport certainly augurs well not only for VMY 2014 and AEC 2015 but also the long-term growth and prosperity of the tourism industry in ASEAN. It is imperative for our mutual success to maintain a cordial and close working relationship between all parties in the travel and hospitality sector,” said Director of Southeast Asia Division, Syed Yahya Syed Othman.

“TTAA has played an important role in promoting tourism and joint co-operation between Thailand and Malaysia for over 20 years. The signing of the MoU is significant as it is a win-win situation for both countries,” said its President, Mr. Suthiphong Phuenphiphop.

“MATTA will always continue to extend its cooperation to TTAA in all aspects of the travel trade for our mutual benefit and success. We recognise the importance of a well-knit and close working relationship in ensuring our mutual prosperity,” added its President, En. Hamzah Rahmat.

In 2012, ASEAN tourist arrivals to Malaysia amounted to 18,809,736 tourists, of which 1,263,024 were Thai tourists. 

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia Woos British Fashion Labels To Strengthen Malaysia Retail And Tourism Industries

LONDON, 16 September, 2013 – Tourism Malaysia is making its presence felt at this year’s London Fashion Week in a bid to attract British brand owners and principals to invest in Malaysia’s flourishing shopping and retail sector. 

The tourism promotion board is working closely with the United Kingdom Trade Investment (UKTI) to meet and convince British brand owners and principals on the merits of investing in Malaysia. This mission is spearheaded by Performance Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) and attended by Shopping Malaysia Secretariat, Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur City Center (BBKLCC) and Malaysia Shopping Malls Association.

Malaysia’s retail industry grew by 5.5 percent last year with RM87.8 billion (£16.9 billion) in sales turnover. In addition, shopping is a lucrative sector of Malaysia’s tourism industry. It holds the second biggest share of tourist expenditure after accommodation. Last year, tourists spent RM19 billion (£3.65 billion) on shopping, an increase of 5.7% compared to 2011. It constituted about 30.7% of the total tourist receipts of RM60.6 billion (£11.65 billion).

“We are targeting to attract some 36 million tourists and RM168 billion (£32 billion) receipts by the year 2020. This can be a huge market for brands who base their operations in Malaysia, on top of the rest of the ASEAN market,” says Madam Magie Abang Saufi, Board Member of Tourism Malaysia.

She added, “The Malaysian Government has shown a high commitment to developing the Malaysian retail and tourism industries. We look forward to welcoming more British brands and labels to open their business in Malaysia.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city, has been ranked fourth in global news network, CNN’s survey on the top 10 best shopping cities in the world, ahead of well-established shopping hubs such as Paris, Hong Kong and Dubai. Earlier, Kuala Lumpur was crowned the second best shopping destination in Asia Pacific by Globe Shopper Index, created by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which is part of the Economist Group and commissioned by Switzerland-based shopping tourism company.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Because Being Malaysian is Rewarding!

16 September 2013, Subang: Malaysia Airlines is celebrating Malaysia Day by rewarding its loyal customers. All Enrich members will receive triple miles with every purchase of an economy class ticket to any domestic destination, one way or return.

Sales period for this campaign starts today and will go on till 22 September 2013 for the travel period from now till 31 December 2013.

Customers can update their points within 48 hours after they have flown and the miles rewarded will be valid for three years. 

Enrich, the frequent flyer programme of Malaysia Airlines brings you a world of privileges and preferential treatment. Earn Enrich Miles when you fly with Malaysia Airlines, oneworld member airlines and Enrich partner airlines.

You can also earn Enrich Miles with your credit card spending, when you rent a car, shop, indulge in recreational activities with our lifestyle partners, and so much more.

Enrich Miles can be redeemed for award flights on Malaysia Airlines, oneworld member airlines and Enrich partner airlines.

You can also redeem exclusive benefits and privileges designed for your family’s enjoyment as well as your own. These redemptions include Enrich vouchers for excess baggage payment and purchasing Temptations in-flight items. You can also enjoy a thrilling flight simulation as experienced by Malaysia Airlines pilots in training.

As a new Enrich member, you will receive the Enrich Blue card, the entry level of membership. With regular travel on Malaysia Airlines and oneworld airlines, you can move up the various Elite tier levels such as Enrich Silver, Enrich Gold and Enrich Platinum, unlocking even more benefits and privileges.

Read more on this exciting promotion on www.malaysiaairlines.com. Customers can book their travel on Malaysia Airlines through all distribution channels mainly www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines 24 hours toll free number 1 300 88 3000, MHmobile, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents throughout Malaysia.
-Malaysia Airlines.

Lanson Place Bukit Ceylon Serviced Residences now open

Lanson Place Hospitality Management, a Hong Kong-based hospitality investment and management brand in Asia, launched its flagship Lanson Place Bukit Ceylon Serviced Residences in Kuala Lumpur last month.

The property is the first Small Luxury Hotels of the World member located in the Kuala Lumpur central business district. Offering 150 units in one- to three-bedroom configurations, apartments range from 85m² to 191m² in size. Units feature work areas with wireless Internet, an iPod docking station, 30 TV channels, and a fully equipped kitchen.

Other facilities include a gym, a library, an outdoor barbecue area, an Internet centre, a billiard area, a sky lounge called 163 Lounge with views of the KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers, and the 163 Garden on the 50^th floor.

The group intends to continue growing Lanson Place as a pan-Asian brand by exploring opportunities in main gateway cities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It will open Lu Xiang Yuan Serviced Suites in Shanghai in July 2014.

-TTG Asia.

Happy Brickday! LEGOLAND® MALAYSIA Celebrates Momentous First Year

NUSAJAYA, 15th September 2013 – Asia’s first LEGOLAND® has marked a hugely successful year with a first birthday celebration, exactly a year to the day since its spectacular launch. The popular family theme park, which has become a key driver of tourism to Southern Malaysia, organised an impressive event to mark the occasion. At one year young LEGOLAND is growing up fast and plans are already afoot to transform it into a resort comprising a Theme Park, Water Park and Hotel.  

Special celebrations took place around a giant LEGO® cake, which Park visitors have been helping to build over the past ten days. It was made from over 300,000 bricks and measures three metres wide.  More than 3,000 park visitors were involved in the building activity that started on the 5th September 2013. 

The birthday entertainment included dance performances, a children’s dance party and unique 3D-LEGO fireworks displays, where bricks appeared to be falling from the sky.  A real birthday cake was also prepared for the occasion and slices were available at the Café.  Proceeds from the sales of the cake are 

going to Merlin’s Magic Wand, a worldwide charity for underprivileged children.   

Siegfried Boerst, General Manager of LEGOLAND Malaysia said: “We are delighted to celebrate our first anniversary with our guests. It has been an extremely successful year for Asia’s first LEGOLAND and visitor numbers have far exceeded expectations. In the last twelve months we have added two new attractions and our guests are enjoying the Park more than ever. As we celebrate one major milestone we are already anticipating another, because in October we will open our brand new Water Park. ”  

Asia’s first LEGOLAND Water Park opens on 21st October and it is leading the transformation of LEGOLAND Malaysia into a family resort destination with more than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions. 

Boerst added, Annual Pass renewals have started online and at the Ticketing Counters at LEGOLAND Malaysia.  Those renewing now will enjoy extra validity until December 2014 if their current Annual Pass expires in September, October, November or December 2013. Maybank customers will also enjoy special offers if they renew now. 

-www.LEGOLAND.my

1MCAT KUANTAN Festival Seni Visual Pahang - Perasmian Pada 14 September 2013 Di Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort

Bunting 1MCAT Kuantan dan senarai acara 

Kata-kata aluan oleh Y. Brs. Encik Haned Masjak, Ketua Pengarah Balai Seni Visual Negara

Ucapan perasmian oleh Y.B. Dato' Mohd Sharkar Bin Samsudin, Exco Pelancongan & Kebudayaan Negeri Pahang

"Tarian Pelanduk"

"Live Painting" oleh Dato' Mahsun

Penyampaian cenderahati kepada Y.B. Dato' Mohd Sharkar

Penyampaian cenderahati kepada Y.Brs. Encik Haned

Sesi bergambar bersama artis-artis GAP's yang terlibat dari seluruh negara

Sesi bergambar bersama artis-artis GAP's yang terlibat dari seluruh negara

Lawatan ke pameran lukisan karya artis-artis GAP's

-PelanconganKini.

PPJ Plans To Create Zoo Or Safari Park In Putrajaya

PUTRAJAYA, Sept 14 Sept (Bernama) -- Putrajaya Corporation (PPJ) plans to create a zoo or a safari park here to attract more visitors to the Federal Government's administrative centre.

PPJ president Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat said a detailed study would be conducted to create a zoo or safari park.

"PPj is aware the Putrajaya area is relatively limited, a detailed study will be carried out to ensure the best plans are put forward for the administration centre," he told reporters after opening the Putrajaya Cats Festival 2013 in conjunction with Malaysia Day at the Putrajaya Corporation Complex, here, today.

He said the Putrajaya Cats Festival 2013 would be featuring 150 cats of various types and breeds including Persian, Bengal, Somali Sphynx, Main Coon and Burmese.

The two-day festival organised for the first time by PPJ, Putrajaya Corporation Young Officers Group and the Malaysian Cats Club is to give the community an opportunity to gain exposure and demonstrate hands-on techniques and methods of proper cat care, he added.

In the competition, the cat owned by Maizatul Shima Abdul Rahman named Milo got the most votes with 1,500 'like', winning the owner a 42-inch 0Liquid-crystal-display television (LCD TV) set.
-bernama.