Celebrating Malaysian Melting Pot

The RM4mil tourist venue located next to Batu Caves is set to cater to tourists visiting the cave-temple as well as to draw more foreign visitors to the famous tourist attraction.

The venue is a celebration and showcase of Malaysia's melting pot of diverse cultures featuring food, traditional dances, arts and crafts.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor opened the tourist attraction owned by TIC Management Sdn Bhd on Thursday night. Also present were more that 200 tourists from China.

Orang Asli touch: Tengku Adnan using a blow-pipe to hit balloons to signify the launch of the Selangor Culture Cove at Batu Caves on Thursday night.

He said the Culture Cove was ideally located between Kuala Lumpur and peninsular Malaysia's highland attractions, and made an excellent stop for tourists.

“I believe that it will not only provide an additional attraction for city sightseeing, but also help increase the number of visitors to Batu Caves.

“The Selangor Culture Cove is an exemplary project in the country's tourism landscape; it not only gives visitors a glimpse of local culture, but can also help increase tourists spending through the sale of locally produced products and souvenirs,” he added.

Tengku Adnan hoped that in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007, more such venues would be set up to provide tourists an insight into the country's fascinating diverse cultures.

TIC Management Sdn Bhd chairman Raja Abdul Hamid Raja Ahmad Shah, in his speech, said they expected to welcome 200,000 tourists in the first year of operation.

“We expect 50% of tourists from China and Hong Kong, 30% from Taiwan and 20% from Japan, the Middle East and Europe.

“We have the capacity to host 600 tourists at any one time and we expect to reach this number during the peak months of May, October and December,” he added.

Raja Abdul Hamid said the venue was specially designed to capture tourists' fascination with Asian cultures via a series of fun and explorative activities.

He said there were lively traditional cultural dances, and de-monstrations of unique arts and crafts like Gasing, Wau, batik painting and beautiful henna body art.

“Tourists even get to make their own chocolates with locally grown cocoa, and there is also Tongkat Ali Herbal Hot Foot Therapy to soothe their tired feet,” he added.

Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]