Travis McCabe ruins Gibbons and Pozzato's dreams @ Le Tour De Langkawi 2017

GERIK : American outfit Unitedhealthcare continued its winning streak at Le Tour de Langkawi with Travis McCabe outsprinting Filippo Pozzato and Ryan Gibbons who became the new race leader on the slightly downhill finish in Gerik in the state of Perak in northern Malaysia. They previously won a stage in 2014 with Bradley White and in 2016 with John Murphy.

Exactly like Murphy one year ago, McCabe lined up at LTdL fresh from a stage win at the Herald Sun Tour in Australia. “We came here with the ambition to win”, the American sprinter said at the post-race press conference. “We really wanted to work on the lead out train that we have. I wasn’t trying to fill the shoes of Murphy but it’s great to do the same as him. For me, today, it was all about patience. We showed yesterday that we had the lead out train and the power to take me to the line but I made a mistake by going way too early. Today I went into a small break before the category 1 climb to make it easier when Manzana really hit it on the climb.”

It was a long but eventful day of racing from the East Coast to the jungle via the Titiwangsa Range. It started with a crash involving Pozzato and taking Terengganu’s sprinter Harrif Saleh out of the race as he hit a rock. 49 kilometres were covered in the first hour, making it impossible for anyone to escape from the peloton but a group of 16 riders eventually rode away but the presence of the likes of Jacques Janse van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Bernardo Suaza (Manzana-Postobon) and Robbie Hucker (IsoWhey Sports Swisswellness) forced Androni Giocattoli to chase. Attracted by the King of the Mountains competition after losing hopes of winning the overall classification after a crash in stage 1, John Ebsen (Infinite AIS) went on his own 90km before the finish in order to score important points atop Titiwangsa. The selective terrain reduced the bunch to fifty riders only.

Italy’s Pozzato was close to add his name to the record of stage winners at Gerik after his prestigious compatriots Gianni Bugno in 1997 and Rinaldo Nocentini in 1999 but McCabe outclassed him at the very end of a tight finish. “My day started with a crash while I was in the middle of road at the back of the peloton in order to not risk anything”, Pozzato explained.

“But someone bumped into me after losing control of his handlebar and I fell on my face. My head was shocked by the crash but my legs were going much better than yesterday after the traveling. In the finale I wanted to anticipate the sprint because I’m not as fast as these guys.

But the Unitedhealthcare riders have done a great job as they rode strongly from 1.2km to the end. There was no space for me to attack. When they opened it for their sprinter, I exited on the right side of the road. I hesitated a bit but at the end he was faster than me. It’s a pity because I would have liked to break the ice and take a first victory this year, especially for the team. They need some results after the good work done since the beginning of the year. We’ll try again.”

Third on the line, Gibbons took over from Scott Sunderland in the lead of the overall ranking. “I had a bike change due to a mechanical at about 60km to go”, the South African revealed. “It had a 53 on and I couldn’t get it down to the 11 [gear]. I had a perfect lead out. I thought it was no problem to come round him but I had no speed. I’m disappointed not to win but I’m happy to be in the yellow jersey. It sounds like an excuse but I think I’m quicker than these guys and I want to prove it in the coming days.”

Stage 3 is expected to be a good one for the sprinters, being relatively short (118km) from Serdang to Pantai Remis.

-www.ltdl.com.my

New Tourism Malaysia offices to tap India's growth potential

Inbound agents have welcomed Malaysian tourism and culture minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz’s announcement to set up Tourism Malaysia offices in Kolkata and potentially Amritsar to increase visitors from India’s eastern region.

“Setting up an office in Kolkata is a good idea as it is the gateway from East India to Malaysia,” said Adam Kamal, secretary general of Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association.

Tourism Malaysia currently has offices in three Indian cities, namely Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

The new offices will enable Tourism Malaysia to tap the swelling ranks of middle-class travellers in Kolkata and Amritsar, noted Arokia Das, senior manager at Luxury Tours Malaysia.

“There should be full-fledged Tourism Malaysia offices in major metros like Hyderabad and Bengaluru and smaller offices in second-tier cities. We’ve got to get Malaysia into everybody’s minds. There should also be more carriers between Malaysia and second-tier cities in India,” he urged.

With 188 flights weekly providing 35,915 seats between Malaysia and India, air connectivity between the two countries can be improved still, agents pointed out.

Adam said: “Malaysia Airlines should also open new routes between Malaysia and India as it did with China recently. It is a good way of attracting more tourists, and will also complement the e-visa facility introduced in April 2016 for Indians residing in India.”

-TTG Asia.

Amazing Sabah @ Malaysia Tourism Centre, Kuala Lumpur ( 25 February 2017 )

Hello everyone!

Koniciwa! (especially to Japanese expatriates/tourists)

Sabah Tourism Board ( SABAH, Malaysian Borneo ) and Tourism Malaysia Kuala Lumpur is organising an engagement program for product and services of Sabah called “AMAZING SABAH” as below particulars:

Date: 25 February 2017, Saturday
Time: 12.00 pm – 4.00 pm
Venue: Malaysia Tourism Centre (MATIC), 109, Jalan Ampang

There will be few interesting activities such as below:-

- Welcoming remarks and video presentation from Sabah Tourism Board

- Product presentation from HIS Travel and GRAB

- Exhibition booths from Kadaiku (selling local products from Sabah), Cutting Paper Art and Tairyo Toryo (Japanese arts and craft)

- Cultural performances

- Food demonstration of Sabah desserts (Hinava and Pinjaram)

- Photo booth > free printed picture if you purchase RM20 and above at Kadaiku or HIS Travel booths.

- And Lucky Draw !

We'll see you in MATIC this Saturday!! 

-Tourism Malaysia Kuala Lumpur facebook.

Scott Sunderland suggests Azizul Hasni Awang could also win at LTdL

KUALA TERENGGANU : Former keirin rider Scott Sunderland from Australia won stage 1 of the 2017 Le Tour de Langkawi in Kuala Terengganu and thus followed the path of Dutchman Theo Bos who also successfully made the transition from sprinting on the track to sprinting on the road.

He made IsoWhey Sports Swisswellness’ first appearance to LTdL a big coup as he fended off South Africa’s Ryan Gibbons who is sensational recruit for WorldTour giants Dimension Data while Italian rivals Nicolas Marini of Nippo-Vini Fantini and Jakub Mareczko of Willier Triestina surrendered in third and fourth places.

Sunderland was well aware of winning his first pro race [after stage 1 of the UCI 2.2 Tour of Fuzhou in China in 2015] on the homeland of an old competitor of his: Olympic medalist Azizul Hasni Awang. “I know he’s from Terengganu”, the Australian reacted. “He is a great competitor and such a big presence in keirin racing. I’m aware of his fame in Malaysia. Going from track sprint to this event is definitely a lot different when you have to try to get over the hills and adjust to this style of racing. In the keirin you’ve got five or six other guys. On the road, you have to sprint against fourty or fifty riders. It can be a lot more difficult. But Azizul could definitely make the same move and succeed at LTdL as well. He is a crafty rider. He has a lot of weight on his side. Being a smaller rider [than me], he should be able to get over some of these climbs.”

It was a crash marred finale within ten kilometers to go in Kuala Terengganu once Loh Sea Keong, now riding for Thailand Continental Team, was the last man to be reined in. He was earlier accompanied in a 10-man breakaway by Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Mazuki who delivered for hosting team Terengganu TSG as he brought the first King of the Mountains red jersey home.

“Getting the win and the yellow jersey for IsoWhey Sport Swisswellness on our debut here sets up the team for a good Tour and hopefully I’ll get one more stage victory”, Sunderland declared at the post race press conference. “It was a pretty chaotic finale but the team got me ride in a pretty good position. The crash was close to where I was so I was lucky to get through that and be able to finish off the job with the sprint. Such a win gives you the confidence that you can win another stage. That would be fantastic but it’s already amazing to be here in the lead. I’ll try to hold on to the yellow jersey as long as I can, it’s an amazing event.”

Stage 1 of Le Tour de Langkawi brought neo pro Gibbons under the spotlights. “I’m very happy to be on the podium and give something to the team but I’m also very disappointed to be second”, the Dimension Data rider said. “I kind of waited a little bit too late. The crash happened next to me. I think I was the last rider to avoid it. This result gives me hopes for a stage win by the end of this Tour, hopefully tomorrow.”

“My team worked at perfection”, echoed Marini. “[Riccardo] Stacchiotti and [Giacomo] Berlato helped me tremendously. I had a good sprint. I opened it with Mareczko at 200 metres to go but the first two were really stronger. It’s still long way to go and we’ll try again.”

Stage 2 will be the longest of the 22nd Le Tour de Langkawi, 208km, and also a hard one from Jerteh to Grik where the race last held a stage finish with eventual Tour de France yellow jersey wearer Rinaldo Nocentini won two years after cycling legend Gianni Bugno.
-www.ltdl.com.my

Langkawi Squid Challenge 2017 ( 11 & 12 Mac 2017 )

-Langkawi Development Authority facebook.

SIC RACING TEAM Wrap Up Productive Sepang Test In Positive Spirits

Sepang, Malaysia – Tuesday 21st February

Circuit: Sepang International Circuit
Circuit Length: 5.5 km

Following four productive days on track at Sepang International Circuit, the SIC Racing Team make their way back to Europe feeling positive and motivated to continue their progress at the first official Moto3 test at Jerez in two weeks’ time.

Riders Adam Norrodin and newcomer Ayumu Sasaki took full advantage of their time at the team’s home track in Malaysia, completing four intense days of working through various settings and testing new parts to further develop their Honda NSF250RW machines.

Working closely alongside Japanese Grand Prix motorcycle racer Hiroshi Aoyama and HRC, Norrodin and Sasaki specifically focussed their attentions on adapting to the new 2017 Honda machinery, whilst finding a solid base setting to suit their individual riding styles.

With valuable data collected, the SIC Racing Team leave Sepang confident they can take what they have learnt at this first test and use it to their advantage in Jerez, commencing on Wednesday 8th March.

Johan Stigefelt – Team Manager
“We have had four very productive days here at our home circuit. We have worked through a lot of things and received some great support from HRC. 

What we have achieved at this test will certainly be of benefit to us when we go to Jerez. We found a way with the bike that we didn’t last year and have been able to test some new parts, which have worked very well. The third and fourth day were slightly harder due to the high temperatures and track conditions but nevertheless we used the time well to work through things, which has proven to be very useful. Hiroshi Aoyama has also been with us to work with the riders, which has been great for them both, so I’d like to say thank you to him. We are very grateful to have the opportunity to test at Sepang Circuit, so I’d also like to say a big thanks to Razlan and everyone here at the circuit for their help and support over these days. We leave Sepang feeling very positive and confident. 

We know we are going in the right direction and we’re excited to continue this at the IRTA test at Jerez in two weeks. “

#7 Adam Norrodin
“Firstly I want to say a big thank you to the whole team; everyone has worked so hard these last four days and also to SIC for this opportunity to test here. 

We have been pushing a lot and have achieved what we set out to do here, so I’m very happy. The new bike is great and we found a good base set-up here at Sepang, so it’s been a very positive first test. For sure we still have a lot of work to do before the first race in Qatar, but I’m feeling really motivated for this season. The next test is in Jerez in two weeks’ time, so we will have another opportunity there to continue our work. There will also be all of the other Moto3 riders there so we will get a better insight into where we are at; 

I’m excited to see what we can do. We must continue to push hard and learn as much as we can; the more prepared we are, the stronger we will be.”

#71 Ayumu Sasaki
“We have started the season in a good way; these four days at Sepang have been very useful for us, so I’d like to thank SIC and all the staff for their support. We were able to find an almost perfect setting here. It’s been great to get to know my new team and new bike too. I think we have done a good job and been very productive with our time. In two weeks we will be back on track at Jerez for the official test, so I’m looking forward to continuing our progress there.”

-SIC Racing Team.
PelanconganKini supports SIC Racing Team.

Tourism Malaysia Promotes Sustainable Tourism At OTM 2017

image: http://otm.co.in/

MUMBAI, 21 Feb 2017: The 2017 edition of Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) was launched in Mumbai today. The event was jointly inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia.

Held annually, OTM is India’s leading travel show focused on outbound travel. It is well-timed to coincide with the start of the peak outbound season and is one of the most popular platforms for marketing to the Indian travel trade, MICE segment and tourists.

The Malaysia delegation is led by YB Dato' Seri Mohamed Nazri accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Tourism Malaysia, state representatives and members of the Malaysian travel trade.

Speaking at OTM, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri said, “India is a major contributor to tourism in Malaysia. In fact, it is the sixth top tourist generating market for us. In 2015, we had 722,141 Indian visitors and from January to October 2016 we had 540,530 Indian tourists. This year we hope to achieve 1 million arrivals from the India market.”

He added, “Our marketing and promotion strategies for this year are to focus on sustainable tourism and the wonderful niche products that Malaysia offers to the Indian market.”

UNWTO has designated 2017 as the “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development” and Malaysia is keen to promote its four UNESCO Heritage Sites, namely, Kinabalu National Park in Sabah, Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Melaka and George Town cities and the archaeological heritage site of the Lenggong Valley.

With niche tourism on the rise, Malaysia is also pushing its special interest packages for premium shopping, luxury travels, sports tourism such as golf, and Malaysia as a wedding and honeymoon destination.

At OTM, Tourism Malaysia will also organise various programmes for travel trade players to meet up and network among themselves, providing Malaysia’s tourism industry players the opportunity to strengthen ties with their Indian counterparts. 

During his visit, the Honourable Minister will also inaugurate the brand new Tourism Malaysia office in Mumbai at the Bandra Kurla Complex. The office has been relocated to be closer to the immigration and visa offices to make obtaining travel information to Malaysia even more convenient for the Indian tourist.

OTM 2017, from 21 to 23 February, is held in Mumbai, the largest outbound market and the main business hub in India. It is expected to attract close to 1,500 exhibitors from 61 countries and 35 Indian States / UTs, and about 200,000 visitors, making it one of the most important travel events in India.
-Tourism Malaysia.

Top riders ready to strike Kuala Terengganu - Le Tour De Langkawi 2017

Cycling superstar Filippo Pozzato and up and coming sprinter Jakub Mareczko (Willier Triestina), GC contender Jacques Janse van Rensburg (Dimension Data), Colombian prodigy Egan Bernal (Androni Giocattoli) and local hero Anuar Manan (Terengganu TSG) attended the top riders pre-race press conference in Kuala Terengganu ahead of the 22nd edition of Le Tour de Langkawi due to start in Kuala Berang on Wednesday 22 February.

Anuar Manan: "We’ve been training and taking part in local criteriums for six weeks in Australia under our new coach Jeremy Hunt who’s been a Team Sky rider. The condition is good but other teams have also prepared LTdL very seriously. For the next LTdL, some young Malaysian riders have a good potential for performing but for now, it’s still up to me and my team-mates."

Jakub Mareczko: "There are many good sprinters on the start line, mostly from Italy with Nicolas Marini from Nippo-Vini Fantini, Marco Benfatto and Andrea Palini of Androni Giocattoli. I also know Scott Sunderland from Australia for racing him in China before. I’ll try to repeat the stage victory I got here last year. We have a strong team for that with Rafael Andriato and Filippo Pozzato to lead me out in the finales."

Filippo Pozzato: "I’ve wanted to do Le Tour de Langkawi many times but I was always doing Tirreno-Adriatico. Since our team hasn’t been invited to Tirreno-Adriatico, I took the opportunity to come here after the Tour of Oman to get a good condition for Milan-Sanremo. I’d like to go for a stage win myself but we also have a great team to lead Mareczko out in the bunch sprints."

Jacques Janse van Rensburg: "This is my seventh time taking part in Le Tour de Langkawi. There’s always a nice atmosphere for racing here. We came with an all rounded team for sprinting and riding for GC, which seems to work for our team as we won this race in the past two years. We have an all African team, except from Ben O’Connor who is an Australian. I hope to be able to fight for GC. Cameron Highlands is always a tough climb at the end and that’s where the GC should be decided."

Egan Bernal: "I’ve trained a lot ahead of this season and I started racing in Argentina with the Vuelta a San Juan. I felt good there, so I want to do well at Le Tour de Langkawi. It’s a good race for me and an important event in my career. Many Colombians have made their fame over here. I’m still very young. I don’t have enough experience yet to be able to tell where and when I’ll be a winner. I want to learn first. I’ve been told that Cameron Highlands isn’t a too hard climb. I hope it’ll be a good one for me."

Organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and managed by Ciclista Sports Sdn Bhd, the 22nd edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from 22 February to 1 March, 2017 is set to cover more than 1,200km over 8 stages, the UCI 2.HC (hors category) race featuring again as one of the biggest events on the UCI Asia Tour calendar.

-www.ltdl.com.my

Wilayah International Motofest 2017 @ Dataran Merdeka Kuala Lumpur ( 24 ~ 26 Februari 2017 )

Like big bikes, cool accessories and stunt action? Gather yourself at WILAYAH INTERNATIONAL MOTOFEST 2017, one of the organised event in conjunction of Federal Territory month.

About 15,000 bikers are expected to attend this exciting event. Lots of activities will be happening on this 3 days event such as

> Malaysian @ Ride 2 Wilayah- 10,000 bikers will convoy from Putrajaya to Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur

> Bike exhibition (easy rider, touring, vespa, classic, superbike, custom made etc), stunt action, best bike competition

> Classic car show, bike accessories sales booth and artist performance by Awie, XPDC and Kristal!

Date: 24 – 26 February 2017
Time: 2.00 pm – 12.00 am
Venue: Merdeks Square (Dataran Merdeka)
Organizer: Sport and Culture Club, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (Kelab Sukan & Budaya DBKL) and Kepala Kuasa Motorcycle Club (Kelab Motorsikal Kepala Kuasa -KKMG)

-Tourism Malaysia Kuala Lumpur facebook.

Filippo Pozzato, a star among new faces @ Le Tour De Langkawi 2017

SHAH ALAM: As he received the entry form of Italian outfit Willier Triestina, Le Tour de Langkawi chief executive officer Emir Abdul Jalal was full of joy with the addition of Filippo Pozzato along with up and coming sprinter Jakub Mareczko.

“This is a real coup for our event”, Emir explained. “Pozzato is one of the true stars of world’s cycling, not only because of his look but moreover because of his records. He’s a stage winner in every single Grand Tour: Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana. He also the winner of the 2006 Milan-Sanremo, a race in which he made the top ten again just one year ago. It means he’s still very competitive and he’ll deliver a great show here in Malaysia. It reminds of the times when we were welcoming world class heroes like Gianni Bugno with Mapei, Jens Voigt or Stuart O’Grady with Crédit Agricole.”

A true lover of travelling in Asia, predominantly in Singapore, Japan and China, Pozzato will make his debut at Le Tour de Langkawi at the age of 35 with the aim of gearing up for Milan-Sanremo and helping out Mareczko.

Having signed for a team called UAE Abu Dhabi, stage victories record holder Andrea Guardini (22) will understandably miss LTdL due to a clash of events with the Abu Dhabi Tour but Mareczko is tipped to become his successor following six years of domination in the sprint finishes by the former Astana fast man.

A stage winner in Rembau last year, the Polish-born diminutive Italian recently finished third in stage 2 of the Dubai Tour, beating no less than Mark Cavendish and John Degenkolb.

Other sprinters to watch this time around will be Andrea Palini, also an Italian stage winner at LTdL last year, now with Androni Giocattoli, his compatriots Nicolas Marini of Nippo-Vini Fantini as well as Marco Maronese and Paolo Simion with Bardiani CSF, New Zealand’s veteran Greg Henderson of Unitedhealthcare, Australian sensation Scott Sunderland from IsoWhey Sports Swisswellness who used to challenge Azizul Hasni Awang on the track in keirin competitions, Japan’s Shiki Kuroeda with Aisan, Korea’s Park Sung Baek of KSPO and local stars Anuar Manan and Harrif Saleh from Terengganu TSG.

Following the highly expected inaugural sprinters show in Kuala Terengganu on Wednesday 22 February, GC contenders will be in action on the way to Grik. Defending champion Reinardt Janse van Rensburg has passed the leadership of the WorldTour Dimension Data team to his homonymous Jacques Janse van Rensburg who already made the final top ten of LTdL three times previously.

Colombian sensation Egan Bernal of Androni Giocattoli is touted to follow the path of his compatriot Miguel Angel “Superman” Lopez who won the queen stage in the Cameron Highlands last year. Runner up Daniel Jaramillo, also from Colombia, will be back in contention with an increased motivation at the helm of Unitedhealthcare while his promising compatriots Fernando Orjuela and Bernardo Suaza will make their debut at LTdL with the newly upgraded Pro Continental squad Manzana-Postobon.

Other GC riders to watch will be Italy’s Enrico Barbin of Bardiani CSF, Australia’s Cameron Bayly from IsoWhey Sports Swisswellness, Danish skinny climber John Ebsen of Infinite AIS, Indonesia’s Dadi Suryadi from Terengganu TSG while Kazakhstanis Yevgeniy Gidich of Vino Astana Motors and Maxat Ayazbayev of Keyi Look are tipped for leading the charge to the best Asian rider competition.

“We’ve given more chance to Asians to express their talent this year”, Emir said. “However, this is a starting field that we can be proud of considering the economically difficult time. We have riders from all five continents, from USA, Australia, Europe, Colombia and South Africa, all established cycling territories, but also Rwanda, Eritrea and Brazil in addition to nine Asian nations.”

Organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and managed by Ciclista Sports Sdn Bhd, the 22nd edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from 22 February to 1 March, 2017 is set to cover more than 1,200km over 8 stages, the UCI 2.HC (hors category) race featuring again as one of the biggest events on the UCI Asia Tour calendar.

-www.ltdl.com.my

Outbound Travel Mart (OTM 2017) Mumbai - Malaysia Booth

A total of 7 organizations comprising state tourism promotion boards, travel agency, hotel, airlines and a healthcare travel council are taking part in OTM 2017 from 21 to 23 February 2017 at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre - Hall 1, Mumbai, India.

1. Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa
2. Sunway Hotels & Resorts
3. Langkawi Development Authority
4. Kuala lumpur Tourism Bureau
5. Tourism Melaka
6. Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council
7. Malindo Air

-Tourism Malaysia.

Majlis Perayaan Pelancongan Tahun Baharu Cina 2017 @ Jalan Padang Kota Lama, George Town ( 24 Februari 2017 )

Rasakan kemeriahan Majlis Perayaan Pelancongan Tahun Baharu Cina 2017 bertempat di Jalan Padang Kota Lama, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang pada 24 Februari 2017 (Jumaat) bermula jam 8pm. Jangan ketinggalan!
-Tourism Malaysia facebook.

International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 - Calendar Of Official Events

-International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 facebook.

Harga Mahal Boleh 'Bunuh' Industri Pelancongan Langkawi

image: Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2017 facebook

LANGKAWI, 17 Feb (Bernama) -- Jumlah kedatangan pelancong ke Langkawi akan merosot jika ada pemain industri pelancongan terus mengambil sikap menaikkan harga perkhidmatan dan makanan semasa berlangsung acara-acara besar di pulau peranginan ini.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Lembaga Pembangunan Langkawi (LADA), Datuk Azizan Noordin berkata sikap sedemikian menimbulkan persepsi negatif dalam kalangan pelancong untuk datang semasa acara besar seperti Pameran Udara dan Maritim Antarabangsa Langkawi (LIMA).

"Malah sebelum saya menjawat jawatan ini lagi (ada) orang sudah mengatakan 'Jangan pergi ke Langkawi' semasa LIMA kerana harga makanan dan sewa kereta misalnya terlalu tinggi," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian selepas menghadiri majlis Malam Pelancongan Langkawi dan penerangan aktiviti-aktiviti LADA bagi tahun 2017 untuk pemain industri pelancongan di sini, Khamis malam.

Menurutnya, persepsi sebegini perlu dibendung di Langkawi kerana ini tidak membantu bagi menghadapi persaingan dalam industri pelancongan yang semakin sengit sekarang.

Azizan berkata pengusaha pelancongan dan peniaga makanan perlu mengekalkan harga yang berpatutan dan meningkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan agar dapat bersaing dengan destinasi-destinasi pelancongan lain di dalam dan luar negara.

Katanya, beliau sedia bekerjasama dengan persatuan hotel dan agensi pelancongan tempatan bagi mengenal pasti kaedah sesuai untuk membendung kegiatan pengambilan untung yang melampau di pulau berkenaan.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Persatuan Pelancongan Langkawi, Zainudin Kadir berkata sebuah laman web akan disediakan untuk memudahkan pelancong mendapatkan maklumat tentang harga perkhidmatan dan penginapan di pulau ini.

Katanya, pelancong juga boleh mengemukakan sebarang aduan tentang perkhidmatan yang tidak beretika kepada persatuan itu supaya tindakan susulan dapat diambil.

Menurutnya, memang ada pengusaha pelancongan yang cuba mengaut keuntungan berlipat ganda dalam penganjuran-penganjuran LIMA yang lepas.

"Pada tahun ini kita mahu adakan LIMA yang terbaik dan pada masa yang sama pengunjung dapat merasakan harga-harga (perkhidmatan) yang ditawarkan menepati citarasa mereka," katanya.

LIMA 2017 akan berlangsung dari 21 hingga 25 Mac ini dan dijangka menarik 40,000 pelawat dan anggota delegasi perdagangan dari 38 negara.
-Bernama.

Three More Sponsors On Board To Ensure A Smooth Le Tour de Langkawi 2017

SHAH ALAM: Le Tour de Langkawi 2017 today rolled on with three more sponsors coming on board to ensure a smoother ride when Asia's biggest cycling event gets underway from February 22 to March 1.

Sea Tackle Sdn Bhd, the distributor of Inno Rack will make their debut as sponsors, providing 60 units of roof racks for team cars, the race cavalcade, radio communications and neutral service cars.

"Inno Rack is Japan's most popular car rack, with a 60 percent market share in that country, with its own manufacturing facilities in Japan, China and the USA. It comes from a company with a long history, Car Mate, having been founded in 1966 by Takaaki Murata, who is best known for his invention of the car seat headrest. Inno has been in the market since 1976, so it is only just that they make their presence felt in Malaysia," said LTdL 2017 chief executive officer Emir Abdul Jalal.

"I can say that car racks are synonymous with cycling and a vital part of team operations in a cycling race. Thus, this is a vital and much needed area of support for the race," he added.

Nexedge Technology (M) Sdn Bhd extends its relationship with LTdL, established in 2010 as the provider of radio communications equipment and services throughout the race, worth RM100,000.

"This is another strong partner LTdL has developed over the years and we must say the home grown expertise in the field has also been developed through this relationship. In a race of such magnitude, the importance of digital radio communications solutions can never be discounted. This ensures vital information is instantly disbursed throughout the race, ensuring its smooth running," said Emir.

With a race entourage of over 1,500 people being mobilised under searing Malaysian heat, hydration is another important area to be secured and this year Spritzer has come on board as Official Natural Mineral Water.

In all 4,500 cartons of 600ml mineral water and 500 cartons of Spritzer + Fiber, a healthy beverage that contains soluble dietary fibres for optional intestinal functions with its prebiotics effects.

"I can say that Spritzer is quite easily the most popular and trusted mineral water brand in Malaysia. It is a homegrown brand that has come a long way since its founding as a small start-up in Tupai, Taiping in 1989. It has expanded in phases and today have acquired land banks of about 330 acres of natural pristine surroundings amidst natural tropical rainforest to protect the integrity and quality of its products," said Emir.

"Spritzer is a brand Malaysians are proud of and we too are proud to welcome then on board Le Tour de Langkawi."

Also present were the representatives of the respected companies, they are Simon Yew (CEO Nexedge Technology (M) Sdn Bhd), Hideaki Okano (Inno Rack Product Manager), Shaun Yap (Event and Promotions Executive, Subs Spritzer Bhd) and Mohamed Othman (Director of Ciclista Sports Sdn Bhd).

Organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and managed by Ciclista Sports Sdn Bhd, the 22nd edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from 22 February to 1 March, 2017 is set to cover more than 1,200km over 8 stages, the UCI 2.HC (hors category) race featuring again as one of the biggest events on the UCI Asia Tour calendar.

-www.ltdl.com.my

Philippine Airlines' Manila-KL route relaunch brings cheer to trade

Inbound and outbound agents in Malaysia are elated after Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced that it would reinstate its Manila-Kuala Lumpur services on June 8, three years after the suspension of this route due to poor performance.

PAL’s daily services will add to Malaysia Airlines’ and AirAsia’s current thrice-daily services on the sector.

Raaj Navaratnaa, general manager at New Asia Holidays Tours & Travel, said: “This will encourage extensions beyond Manila as PAL has a domestic network. This is good for our company as outbound travel to Philippines is the second largest market, after Singapore. Malaysians love the Philippines for its beaches and nature.”

In light of the new PAL flights, Arokia Das, senior manager of Luxury Tours Malaysia, plans to increase sales calls to Manila by 25 per cent this year and roll out more online marketing campaigns.

He added: “Business from the Philippines was flat for us last year, which is why we are putting more effort this year. The re-entry of Philippine Airlines means that the airline will also do its own marketing and promotions to sell Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.”

According to Tourism Malaysia statistics, Malaysia received 348,271 tourists from the Philippines during the first 10 months of 2016, a 24.2 per cent drop from the corresponding period in 2015.

-TTG Asia.

Penang Hosts Chinese New Year Tourism Celebration

PUTRAJAYA, 13 February 2017: In conjunction with Chinese New Year, Tourism Malaysia will be organising a special celebration of the auspicious festival in Penang. The Tourism Chinese New Year Celebration will be held in Jalan Padang Kota Lama, Georgetown, Penang on 24 February 2017, from 8pm to 10pm.

The event, which is expected to attract 10,000 people, will be hosted by Dato’ (Dr) Siew Ka Wei, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia and graced by the Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia Dato’ Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz and the Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng.

Foreign tourists and locals alike are all invited to the event where they’ll get to witness the rich cultural heritage of the Chinese community in the country, cultural dance performances, and enjoy local food.

The Tourism Chinese New Year Celebration aims to foster unity, understanding, and goodwill among the various ethnic communities in the country, in line with the spirit of 1Malaysia. In addition, the celebration also aims to boost domestic tourism and encourage Malaysians to travel locally for their holidays.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia Plans To Set Up Office In Kolkata

NEW DELHI, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- Malaysia planned to set up a tourism office in Kolkata to increase visitors from India's eastern region, Tourism and Culture, Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said.

He cited Amritsar in Punjab as another city where Tourism Malaysia might consider opening an office.

The move is part of Malaysia's efforts to attract more tourists from second-tier cities in India amid strong outbound travel growth.

"We have tourism offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. We want to increase our presence in India. We are now looking at Kolkata," Mohamed Nazri told Bernama after inaugurating the Malaysian stand at South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) in New Delhi on Wednesday.

With AirAsia flying twice daily between Kolkata and Kuala Lumpur, the regional office will help in boosting tourist arrivals from West Bengal and neighbouring states.

Mohamed Nazri said the Malaysian government last year introduced an e-visa facility that would encourage more Indians to travel to Malaysia.

Also, non-resident Indians will be able to travel to Malaysia visa-free, a move that is expected to bring in more Indian tourists from Arabian Gulf countries, North America and places with significant expatriate Indian population.

Tourism Malaysia is focused on expanding presence in countries that are showing high growth potential.

It closed its offices in New York, Milan, Perth, Johannesburg and Stockholm when Malaysia Airlines discontinued its flights to the destinations.

"After MAS closed those routes, we had no reason to be there," the minister said.

China, India, Britain, Japan and South Korea are among Malaysia's top focus markets this year.

-Bernama