Promoting Malaysia Through Student Exchange Project

PUTRAJAYA, 18 August 2014 – Fifteen Japanese students arrived in Malaysia yesterday for a weeklong exchange project until 23 August. The Japan Malaysia Kouryu Project is organised by Tourism Malaysia, in collaboration with the Nara National Soni Youth Outdoor Learning Centre as a platform to promote Malaysia among Japanese school students.

The students, along with their teachers, nurse, and translator, will be visiting schools and enjoying sightseeing tours of Putrajaya and Melaka. Besides that, they will also be visiting Tourism Malaysia headquarters in Putrajaya and also the Ministry of Education Malaysia, as well as the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) to enjoy some outdoor and nature activities.

During the tours, they will have interactive sessions with students from two local secondary schools, namely Sekolah Seri Puteri Cyberjaya and Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Alor Gajah.

Under the same project, Malaysia will also be sending 12 students and two teachers from Sekolah Menengah Sains Hulu Selangor to visit Nara Prefecture in Japan from 6 to 18 November.

Background information: 

Kouryu means exchange in Japanese. Japan Malaysia Kouryu Project 2014 was established in May and it is a project under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan (MEXT). MEXT has been focusing on exchange programmes and has started to invite Malaysian students since 2011 by allocating budgets to national learning centres in Japan.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia On Track To Achieve VMY Targets, Says Mirza

SINGAPORE, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is on track to achieve its Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) growth target in terms of tourist arrivals by year's end, said Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab.

"VMY is on track in terms of our number target. We have our major challenges starting from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, then a few incidents of security in Sabah and finally the downing of flight MH17.

"Despite all that, I am pleased to report the reaction from neighbouring countries, particularly Singapore and Indonesia, have actually more than covered the setbacks that we got from markets like China in particular and the other long haul sector was actually a knee jerk effect after all the things that happened," he told Bernama.

Mirza was here to attend a Malaysian production musical theatre Bahayanya Wanita (The Dangers of a Woman) at the Star Theatre@the Star Performing Arts Centre here on Saturday. Among artistes performing include Zizan Razak, Umie Aida, Erra Fazira, Erma Fatima, Lana Nordin, Johan As'ari and Nora Danish.

Malaysia High Commissioner to Singapore, Datuk Husni Zai Yaacob and wife, Datin Norshiha Hasbullah, and Tourism Malaysia director for Singapore Noor Aine Ismail were among dignitaries, who attended. According to Mirza, the regional market had been supportive.

"With 10 per cent growth month to month until May, we will be there for VMY. We hope China (tourists) comes back, if China comes back we will be on a very strong footing," he said.

Mirza said similarly for the other markets, the drop in tourist arrivals was a temporary setback and believed with more effort they would be able to lure the tourists to Malaysia.

Following the missing MH370 incident, it was reported there was a reduction in the number of tourists from China to Malaysia.

Touching on the theatre, Mirza said the Tourism Board supported the effort of the organiser, who was featuring a Malaysian production to Singapore audience.

"We hope this kind of activity will not only generate revenue for the artistes and promoters, but also help to bridge better understanding between the people of the country it performs in and to understand about the culture of the country which the production is coming from," he said. He said the long term aim was to have a better understanding by exchange of visits.

The VMY 2014 initiative targets to attract a new record of 28 million international tourist arrivals and RM76 billion in tourist receipts.
-bernama.

Ice Age Adventure @ Resort World Genting - Early Bird Promotion Until 25 August 2014

-www.rwgenting.com

Inap desa Malaysia tersohor

BACHOK 16 Ogos - Program inap desa yang memberi peluang kepada pelancong menyelami kehidupan masyarakat kampung akan terus dipromosi sebagai antara produk pelancongan utama negara.

Menteri Pelancongan dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz berkata, usaha Malaysia membangunkan program inap desa mendapat pengiktirafan tertinggi Organisasi Pelancongan Dunia Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNWTO).

Katanya, menerusi UNWTO Ulysse Award 2012, inap desa di negara ini diiktiraf sebagai antara produk paling unik di dunia selain terbukti mampu menjana pertumbuhan ekonomi masyarakat luar bandar.

"Tahun lalu, kedatangan pelancong menerusi Program Pengalaman Homestay Malaysia mencecah 350,954 orang berbanding hanya 325,258 pada 2012 dengan peningkatan kehadiran pelancong sebanyak 7.9 peratus.

"Pendapatan menerusi inap desa bagi tempoh sama pula mencecah sebanyak RM21.57 juta berbanding hanya RM18.54 juta pada 2012. "Pendapatan ini diterima secara tunai oleh 3,486 pengusaha inap desa yang menawarkan 4,834 bilik penginapan kepada pelancong tanpa melibatkan orang tengah," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam sidang akhbar selepas menghadiri Majlis Ramah Mesra Aidilfitri Bersama Pengusaha Homestay dan Pelancaran Logo Baharu Pengalaman Homestay Malaysia peringkat negeri di sini semalam. Yang hadir sama, Timbalan Ketua UMNO Bahagian Bachok, Datuk Dr. Ilias Husain dan Pengarah Pelancongan negeri, Mohd Aidil Afizie Daud.
-utusan online.

Mariah Carey "ME. I AM MARIAH' 2014 Live in Kuala Lumpur ( 22 October 2014 )

Kuala Lumpur (August 12, 2014) - IME Productions is proud to announce Mariah Carey "ME. I AM MARIAH' 2014 Live in Kuala Lumpur . This concert which is supported by Malaysia Major Events, an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia will be kicking off on 22^nd October 2014 at 8pm at Stadium Merdeka. After 10 years, Mariah is back on our shores and brings us more hit songs to share this moment!

Ticket launch will be held on this Sunday, 17^th August at Boulevard, Level G, Paradigm Mall from 11a.m. until 5p.m. Customers can enjoy 10% Ticket Launch discount at Paradigm Mall on launching day. Ticket prices are categorised into VVIP RM680 (number seat), RM580 (number seat), RM480 (number seat), RM380 (number seat), RM280 (free seating) and RM120 (free seating). Online tickets purchase is available on 17^th August 2014, 5p.m. through official ticketing agency website www.ticketcharge.com.my. For more information, please call for TicketCharge hotline +603 92228811 or IME Productions hotline 011-23166198.

An iconic artiste that needs no introduction, Mariah Carey is the best-selling female artiste of all time with more than 250 million albums sold to date and eighteen Billboard #1 singles (seventeen self-penned) including 'Fantasy', 'Always Be My Baby', 'Hero', 'Touch My Body', 'One Sweet Day', 'Without You', 'We Belong Together' and the global smash hit Christmas single 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', more than any solo artiste in history. With her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific song writing, and producing talent, Mariah has defined the modern pop performance. As a singer, songwriter and producer, she has been recognized with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard's "Artist of the Decade" Award, the World Music Award for "World's Best Selling Female Artiste of the Millennium," and BMI's "Icon Award" to name a few.

In 2012, after her post-pregnancy hiatus, she joined the brand new panel for season 12 of the ‘American Idol’ and topped the dance charts worldwide with her smash hit single ‘Triumphant (Get’ Em)’. Mariah also filmed ‘The Butler’, a movie by Lee Daniels. He had previously cast her in the critically acclaimed ‘Precious’, a role which won Mariah unprecedented accolades for her dramatic performance.

This year, Mariah released her fourteenth studio album, ‘Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse’ by Universal Music. The album features key singles such as ‘Beautiful’ (featuring Miguel), ‘Make It Look Good’ and ‘Camouflage’ have featured prominently on music charts globally. 

Malaysia fans can prepare themselves for some mesmerising great time as the unparalleled American songstress showers her love, greatest hits and remarkable new singles to millions of people who have adored her widely acclaimed songs.

For more information, please log on to IME Facebook http://www.facebook.com/imepmy or TicketCharge websitewww.ticketcharge.com.my

-www.ticketcharge.com.my

New four-car monorail trains operating from next month

Brand new ride: The public getting first look of the new four-car monorail trains parked
at the Titiwangsa monorail station yesterday.- Photo by RAYMOND OOI

Commuters in the Klang Valley got a first look at the new four-car monorail train, which was parked at the Titiwangsa monorail station on Friday.

Kuala Lumpur’s monorail service, which is operated by Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, is in the midst of upgrading its trains and stations. Twelve sets for four-car train will replace the current two-car trains starting next month.

RapidKL spokesman Azhar Ghazali said the new trains could be seen running on tracks after operations hours, between midnight and 4am. "We have three sets of four-car trains undergoing testing and commissioning process since its arrival in April.

“Currently, train No. 1 is undergoing brake test for five days and will be stationed at the end of the line, at either the Titiwangsa or the KL Sentral station. During testing, the train is filled with sandbags equivalent to its maximum capacity weight. “After the testing is complete, the train will make its way back to the depot in Brickfields and the sandbags transferred to the next train for brake test.

“Train No. 1 and No. 2 will start operation in September, while No.3 will serve as a backup. “Nine other trains will arrive in stages by February next year. All 12 trains will be fully operational by middle of next year,” he added.

Undertaken under the Government Transformation Plan (GTP) of the public transport services, the contract to supply the trains for RapidKL monorail line was awarded to Scomi Rail Bhd, a subsidiary of Scomi Engineering Bhd.

Valued at RM494mil, Scomi was also tasked with upgrading the monorail stations, including providing universal access as well as upgrading the electrical and mechanical systems, and to build a new depot under the contract.

The new trains will increase the passengers per train from 214 to 430 passengers during peak hours, thus addressing the current problem of crowding on the RapidKL monorail line. The monorail has an average daily ridership of 72,000 passengers.

Apart from larger capacity, the new trains are also fitted with better safety features including open-door window, on-board close-circuit TV cameras and “run-flat” features, which allow the trains to continue moving despite a puncture.

-thestar online.

Felda Residence Kuala Terengganu Targets 4 Per Cent Occupancy Jump

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Felda Residence Kuala Terengganu has targeted a four per cent occupancy jump this year to 25,000, of which 70 per cent is made up of domestic travellers.

Senior manager Azhar Sanusi said the projected occupancy increase is driven by vigorous promotions of Terengganu's tourist destinations and events this year. He said moreover, the three-star hotel is located near the Heritage Island in Kampung Cina, the Islamic Civilisation Park and Payang Market.

Most of the foreign guests at the hotel last year were from Saudi Arabia, China and Singapore, he told Bernama at an Aidilfitri open house hosted by the hotel here today. Fifty orphans and people with disabilities from Taman Sinar Harapan, Bukit Besar were entertained at the function.

He said most travelers stayed at 20-storey Felda Residence Kuala Terengganu for a stopover before going to Redang Island. The hotel has 180 rooms, 44 of them facing Sungai Terengganu while 56 more overlook Kuala Terengganu.

Hotel guests are offered promotional room rates as low as RM180 in conjunction with the independence month celebration.
-bernama.

www.feldaresidence-kualaterengganu.com

Three More International Routes To Boost Tourist Arrivals In Johor

JOHOR BAHARU, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Johor is confident of achieving its target of getting 5.7 million tourists to the state this year in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014 with the opening of three more international routes via the Senai International Airport (LTAS).

Johor Tourism, Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said the three direct international routes from Johor Baharu, namely to Yogyakarta, Lombok and Ho Chin Minh, provided by AirAsia were seen as new markets for the airline's hub in the state.

"I believe that the existence of tourist attractions such as Hello Kitty Theme Park, Legoland and the Johor Premium Outlet have attracted the interest of the airline to increase the number of international routes through Johor," he told reporters after launching the Islamic Tourism Exhibition and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair here today.

Since the opening of the three routes on July 11, he said, a total of 6,829 passengers had used the flights. He also said that between January and July this year a total of 1,268,747 passengers had used the flight service through LTAS, compared with 1,042,237 passengers during the corresponding period last year.

A total of 167 booths, involving the participation of local and foreign travel agencies, hotels and resorts and airlines, will be opened to the public for three days starting today.
-bernama.

AirAsia pilots on-board Wi-Fi for year-end roll-out

AirAsia this week commenced on-board testing for its Wi-Fi products that will include instant messaging, emails and content streaming.

Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia Group, said: “The Wi-Fi equipment that was introduced to us much earlier was just too expensive and we have decided to develop our own. It has taken us five years to come to this stage, but in true AirAsia style, we have to get it right and provide our guests with the best value at the most affordable rates.”

About 120 volunteers boarded a test flight for the first user acceptance test earlier this week, using instant messaging systems Line, WhatsApp and WeChat during the exercise.

The LCC will offer 60 guests on each flight the chance to take part in the Free User Test, with details to be shared on AirAsia’s website and social media channels. 

-TTG Asia.

Lepaq @ Marina Putrajaya ( 31 Ogos 2014 )

-Perbadanan Putrajaya.

Lada Works To Have Langkawi Retain Geopark Status

LANGKAWI, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- The Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) is doing all that it takes for Langkawi to retain its geopark status and develop into one of the world's most important tourism destinations.

Its chief executive officer, Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, said Lada had planned many activities to accommodate Unesco's recommendations so that Langkawi would continue to enjoy the geopark status accorded to the island in 2007.

"I have a list of things we want to do ... education, awareness. We will have a big carnival on geopark besides the Asian Birds Conference in November ... there are 240 (species of) birds in Langkawi," he told reporters here Thursday.

"It depends on Unesco. We received the geopark status in 2007. A validation is done every four years. Unesco did the first validation in 2011. They looked at many things and made many suggestions for improvement, such as signages and conservation strategies.

"Despite all those suggestions to improve, they gave us the green card. If we do not do all that, when they do the next validation they will give us the yellow card. After the yellow card, if we do not improve in two years, they will give us the red card, meaning the status is withdrawn," he said.

Khalid said claims that Langkawi Geopark had been given the yellow card by Unesco were misleading and could confuse many quarters. He said Lada had done many things and it had to intensify efforts to ensure that all of them would impress Unesco and really benefit the island and the people.

"Next month, there will be more nice signages. The signages must not be too scientific ... they have to be in layman's terms," he said.

Khalid said that under the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint 2011-2015, RM38 million had been allocated specifically for the geopark, especially for upgrading of the geopark infrastructure. "That has been set by Unesco. This is exactly what we have been doing and some work is still going on. We will further upgrade much infrastructure," he said.

Khalid said that for the whole Langkawi island development, private sector cooperation was necessary to inject more funds, especially in the hotels segment. "We need more rooms. In 2012, we had slightly more than 8,000 rooms; now (we have) more than 10,000 rooms, but we need more. A lot of hotels are coming up," he said.

In terms of tourist arrivals, he said that last year the island recorded 3.4 million tourist arrivals, the highest since Langkawi became the premier tourist destination for the country and the world.

"This year, until June, we recorded 1.64 million tourist arrivals. We have revised our target for 2015 to 3.8 million although the blueprint has set a target of three million.

"We have already surpassed the target; so it is not sensible to continue with that target. For tourist receipts, we have met the target of RM3.8 billion for 2015 due to the arrival of 3.4 million tourists last year," he said.
-bernama.

Best Western i-city Shah Alam to open in Q4

Best Western International will launch its first hotel in Shah Alam, the capital of Selangor, Malaysia, later this year.

The midscale Best Western i-City Shah Alam scheduled to open in Q4 will feature 216 contemporary guestrooms and suites, all equipped with such modern amenities as 32-inch LCD television, minibar, working desk, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi.

Guests will be able to sample local and international dishes at the hotel’s Coffee House, while the corporate market is catered for with three meeting rooms for up to 120 pax.

“Malaysia is an incredibly exciting market for Best Western International. With four hotels already open in the country and a further 10 in the pipeline, we look forward to serving the needs of even more Malaysian and international guests in future,” said Glenn de Souza, Best Western International’s vice president of International Operations, Asia & Middle East.

“Shah Alam is a key economic hub in Malaysia. Located just 25km from Kuala Lumpur and 30km from KLIA, the city is at the heart of the country’s development, and provides an ideal setting for Best Western’s new generation of contemporary hotels,” he added.

Best Western i-City Shah Alam will join the group’s existing collection of midscale and luxury hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.

-TTG Asia.

Malaysia Hosts South Indian International Movie Awards Next Month

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 (Bernama) -- The South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) is to be held here in September this year, and is expected to generate more than RM25 million in tourist receipts for the country, according to the organiser.

Malaysia Major Events (MME) said Malaysia would host the prestigious event for the first time, scheduled for Sept 12 and 13 at Stadium Negara here.

MME general manager Tony Nagamaiah said over 100 Indian movie stars would 'grace the red carpet' and there would be performances by several top film stars, among them Tamanna, Anirudh, Devi Sri Prasad, Shriya Saran, Shiv Rajkumar, Lakshmi Menon, Nivin Pauly, Regina and Rakul Preet.

Tony told a press conference the event was expected to bring more than 5,000 international visitors, especially from India and neighbouring countries, as it was also being held for the first time in Southeast Asia.

"India and Malaysia have enjoyed an excellent relationship over the decades and, in fact, India is one of our top tourist markets. Given that the Indian diaspora is stretched across the Southeast Asia region and further, we are confident that fans from our neighbouring countries will also take this opportunity to experience the South Indian cinema industry," he said.

Tony said hosting SIIMA was testament to Malaysia being a preferred venue for top-class events and served as an opportunity to increase global exposure on the unique experiences Malaysia had to offer. For the two past consecutive years, SIIMA was held only in the Middle East.

Tony also said that India was one of Malaysia's top tourist markets, with over 650,000 Indian travellers visiting Malaysia last year and, this year, the target set at 700,000 arrivals. MME is a division of the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

Meanwhile, SIIMA chairman Vishnu Induri said the selection of Malaysia as the venue of the event was the right choice. "Indian films are very popular here. So, this is the right place for us to hold SIIMA, and I am very happy with the support from the Malaysian government, especially as it is Visit Malaysia 2014," he said.

Today's press conference was also attended by several Indian film stars, among them Surya Sivakumar, Shriya Saran, Rana Daggubati and Vidyut Jamwal. The Indian film stars and all others present at the press conference observed a minute's silence as a mark of respect for the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 tragedy.
-bernama.

Fantastic Array Of Stars Heading To KL To Celebrate Visit Malaysia Year

The 2014 Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur will play host to the best line up of players in its young history. To be played at Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil, September 20 to 28, the US$1,022,255 event will feature stars from at least 16 different nations as highlighted by the direct entry field released today by the ATP World Tour. 

The tournament has a very high cut-off at 58 and well exceeds the world average for number of top 16 players at a 250 level event. The 2014 Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur has four players ranked in the world’s top 16 and is among the top 12% of the 34 tournaments that make up the 250 level on the ATP World Tour. 

The Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur has already been thrilled to announce the top four players heading to the capital – Milos Raonic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kei Nishikori and Ernests Gulbis. All four players have been ranked in the world’s top ten this year and all received commemorative trophies from the CEO and Chairman of the ATP World Tour, Chris Kermode. 

In 2014 Del Potro spent 26 weeks in the top ten with his highest ranking being four. Raonic has been in the top ten this year for 17 weeks and reached a career high of six. Nishikori has spent three weeks in the top ten during 2014 reaching a high of nine while Gulbis was also in the top ten for three weeks at ten. 

The tournament has also been excited to announce the debut of 19 year old Aussie Nick Kyrgios who saw his world ranking power up to a career high 65 following his amazing run at Wimbledon. The teenager will be joined by his Malaysian mother in KL and they will host a “Town Hall Meeting” on the Wednesday evening on-site at Putra Stadium. Local fans are excited about seeing him in action and he will play on the Monday or Tuesday and will also team up with a local player in the doubles. 

The tournament is very happy to welcome back defending champion Joao Sousa from Portugal. It was his maiden title which allowed him to break through into the world’s top 50 for the first time and since then he has made a steady climb up the rankings. In the final he defeated Julien Benneteau; the Frenchman has reached the Malaysian Open final the last two years. Maybe 2014 will be third time lucky for him when he returns as he tries to win his first career title. 

“This year's entry list has served up a tantalising mix of the brightest top-ten stars, our two finalists from last year, future top-tenners and our 1/2 Kampung kid, with many fresh faces, who will all combine to produce a tournament worthy of Visit Malaysia year 2014,” said Tournament Director Nick Freyer, of organisers IMG.  

Argentina, Spain and Austria each have two players in the field which is more than any other nation. Joining Del Potro for Argentina will be Leo Mayer with Spain being represented by Pablo Andujar and Marcel Granollers who has been a doubles champion at the ATP World Tour Finals and a finalist at this year’s French Open doubles. 

Austrian tennis is on a rebound and the tournament is very pleased to welcome one of that nation’s best-ever players Jurgen Melzer who reached a career high ranking of eight and has been a Grand Slam doubles champion. Joining him is one of the future stars of men’s tennis, Dominic Thiem. The 20 year old recently reached his first ever final at Kitzbuhel. 

World No.17 South African Kevin Anderson is having the best results in his career and armed with one of the most ferocious serves in tennis returns for the first time since 2010 and is joined by KL debutante, the “Flying Finn”, Jarkko Nieminen who has wins over Raonic, Del Potro and Andre Agassi. 

So strong is the cut-off that Australians Bernard Tomic and Marinko Matosevic might have to play qualifying to get into the main draw. Tomic would be making his third appearance this year. He started the season by reaching the final in Sydney and just recently won his second career title when he beat Ivo Karlovic in the Bogota final, while Matosevic, one of the big characters in tennis, is enjoying the best year of his career. 

The final draw of 28 will be made up of 19 direct entries, two special exempts, three wild cards and four qualifiers. The three main draw singles wild cards and a doubles main draw wild card pairing will be confirmed in the coming weeks.  The singles winner will earn US$ 165,000. 

In addition to the doubles pairing of a local player with Kyrgios, an additional three Malaysian qualifier singles wild cards, as determined by the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia, will be announced later. 

The tournament is proud to welcome back its suite of official sponsors. In addition to the distinguished support of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia as well as the Ministry of Youth & Sports, the event is proud to have prestigious commercial sponsors that include Rado, CNN International, the DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, Wilson, the Albukhary Foundation, Astro, the ATP World Tour’s Premier Partner Corona, as well as welcome on board KPJ Healthcare Berhad, making its first foray into sponsorship of professional tennis.  Other supplier level sponsors include House Restaurant, Cream & Fudge, Pizza Hut, KFC and KiekLover.KL. 

Tickets prices remain very reasonable and range from RM 10 to RM 160.  There will be free admission between Saturday, September 20 and Tuesday, September 23. Tickets can be purchased now on-line via the tournament website http://www.malaysianopentennis.com/2014/tickets.php , at TicketCharge outlets or through the ticket hotline at TicketCharge Ph: 603-92228811 

   

For more information on the tournament, visit www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com or  https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianOpen.KualaLumpur  or 

https://twitter.com/KLopentennis.  

-www.MalaysianOpenTennis.com

Perak Considering Malindo Air's Request To Operate From Ipoh

IPOH, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Perak is looking into hybrid airline Malindo Air's request to use the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here as a hub to several new domestic and international destinations.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said Malindo Air presented the proposal at a meeting at noon Wednesday, but had yet to put in a formal application. He said both Perak and Malindo Air were positive over the proposal to introduce not only domestic flights, but also international flights, including to Indonesia and Singapore, from Ipoh.

"The state government expects positive developments following the discussion and the terms and conditions will be finalised at the official level," he told reporters after presenting appointment letters to chairmen of village development and security committees, and village heads here Wednesday.

"Although they (Malindo Air) assured us that they can start immediately, we gave them a couple of months to prepare. "We need to discuss further on the terms and conditions. They can get some assistance from the state - not be in the form of equity but similar treatment given to Firefly," he said, adding that Malindo Air plans to use the ATR72-600 or bigger planes for the flights.

Meanwhile, Zambry said the state government were in discussions with aviation industry players over the development of the airport as a tourist gateway to Perak and other states.
-bernama.

Taiwan Tourism Delegation Visit Malaysia To Strengthen Tourism Cooperation

PUTRAJAYA, 12 August 2014 – Taiwan’s delegation of 16 members led by the Vice Director of Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau Liu Hsien Hui recently paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Tourism Malaysia Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen in Putrajaya to forge closer ties between the two countries and strengthen cooperation on tourism promotion. 

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng had led a sales mission to Kaohsiung, Taiwan earlier this year and had invited Ms. Liu to visit Malaysia.

During the courtesy visit, Ms Liu and Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng had exchanged promotional experiences and discussed joint promotions that would benefit both countries. Ms. Liu had also expressed the delegation’s interests in promoting other cities in Taiwan such as Kaohsiung, Taichung and Pingtung in Malaysia. 

Prior to the visit, the delegation had met with AirAsia to discuss the possibility of developing a direct flight from Kaohsiung to Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng had welcomed the idea as the additional flight service would boost arrivals to both Malaysia and Taiwan further. She urged tourism industry players including airlines and tourism agencies as well as government agencies to work hand-in-hand to create good tourism packages to ensure sufficient supply of tourists in order to sustain the direct flights operations.

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng had also encouraged the delegation to tap into halal tourism products in an effort to attract more Muslim tourists from Malaysia to Taiwan. She suggested to the delegation to appoint a Muslim Tourism Ambassador to promote halal tourism products in Taiwan. The delegation also met with Bumiputra Travel and Tour Agents Association of Malaysia (Bumitra) to get an in-depth view of the Muslim market. 

While in Malaysia, the delegation from Taiwan also had the opportunity to attend the opening of the Malaysia International Travel Mart (MITM) at the Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur.

Besides the Vice Director of Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau, the delegation was also comprised of Vice Director of Pingtung Information & Tourism Department Huang Guo Wei, Senior Officer of Taichung Tourism Bureau Chuang Yu Meng, Chairman of Kaohsiung Tourism Association Hwang Chin Shyang, Director of Taiwan Tourism Bureau Kuala Lumpur Office David Tsao, Chairman of Pingtung County Lodging Association Lin Rong Cin and Managing Director of the Taiwan Hot Spring Tourism Association Wang Su Chia.

Last year, a total of 286,266 Taiwanese tourists visited Malaysia, an increase of 18% compared to 242,519 tourists in 2012.

-Tourism Malaysia.

10 Festivals From Sarawak For Malaysia's "Year Of Festival" Tourism Year

SIBU, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Sarawak is submitting 10 festivals to be included in Malaysia's "Year Of Festival" tourism year 2015.

Permanent secretary to the State Tourism Ministry, Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said the festivals were among the major ones held every year in Sarawak.

These events were chosen for their uniqueness and for their presentation of the colourful culture and traditions of the local ethnic communities, he told the media after opening a course 'Toward Successful Event Management' here, Wednesday. The course is jointly organised by the State Tourism Ministry and the Sarawak Skill Development Centre.

He said the festivals included the World Rainforest Music Festival and the Sarawak Regatta from Kuching, the Pesta Benak (Tidal Bore Festival) of Seri Aman, Borneo Cultural Festival of Sibu and the "Pesta Kaul" (Melanau traditional thanksgiving and offering ceremony) of Mukah.

"We will write to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to seek financial grants for the organisers," he added. He said the 'Year of Festival' would be a continuation of the 'Visit Malaysia Year 2014'. It is aimed at creating awareness among Malaysians and foreign visitors on the various festivals in the country, he added.

Earlier in his speech, Ik Payon called on organisers of major state tourism events to submit to the ministry the estimated economic value generated by their activities. This, he said, could assist them in seeking grants from the ministry.

Citing a survey by the Kuching North City Council, he said, it showed that about RM2 million was generated into the city economy by various activities held during the Sarawak Regatta 2013. "Of the amount, about RM800,000 came from sales of food and beverages and RM1.2 million from handicraft products.

"This indicates that these festivals can contribute positively to the local economy, besides strengthening the social bond among the people of different races," he said.
-bernama.

Harian Metro Mountain Bike Grand Prix Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia 2014

Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Harian Metro group editor Datuk Mustafa Omar and Harian Metro deputy group editor Abdul Ghafar Ismail as the chairman of the event were also present.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Harian Metro Mountain Bike Grand Prix Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia 2014 is now back for the second year after becoming the talk of cycling enthusiasts not only across the country but foreign as well.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the Grand Prix will kicked off in five locations starting at Kuala Kangsar, Perak on 24 Aug, Hulu Selangor (28 Sept), Hutan Lipur Bukit Panchor, Pulau Pinang (26 Oct), Melaka (30 Nov) and Temerloh, Pahang (27 Dis).

Nazri said encouragement and support for cycling programs across the country should be continued as it had formed a trend which received overwhelming response from all walks of life in this country, especially government bodies, NGOs, private companies and others.

“This event is expected to attract mountain bikers from around the nation, including neighbour countries such as Singapore and Thailand where there are thousands of avid cyclists keen to join regional competitions,” he said at the launching of the Grand Prix in Malaysian Tourism Centre, here, earlier today.

He added that the event was a part of an ongoing program initiated by Tourism Malaysia to promote cycle tourism in the country as a way to encourage a healthy lifestyle and support more green tourism activities.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Harian Metro group editor Datuk Mustapa Omar and Harian Metro deputy group editor Abdul Ghafar Ismail as the chairman of the event were also present.

The Grand Prix is divided into two main races – Jamboree Metro Open and XC Metro involving a 40-kilometre route, where the winner for each category will bring home a cash prize of RM2,500, trophy, medal and a jersey.

-nst online.