Malaysia Hotel News

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

5 - 7 Sep : Matta Fair 2008

5 to 7 September 2008

Matta Fair 2008 is back

Malaysia No1 Travel Fair

With More Exhibitors

More Low Fares

More Travel Bargains

Time : 10am to 9pm

Location

Putra World Trade Centre

Kuala Lumpur

First KL Airshow In Subang Next Year To Attract 300 Participants

Almost 300 aviation and plane manufacturing companies will be participating in the first Kuala Lumpur Airshow 2009 (KLas 2009) to be held at the Asia Pacific Auction Centre (Apac) in Subang Airport from July 15th to 19th, next year.

Chief Executive Officer, World Aerospace Sdn Bhd, Nonee Ashirin Mohd Radzi said today that the exhibition was aimed at bringing in the latest people from the industry, products and technologies and to act as a melting pot for professionals and experts in the aviation industry.

"With the endorsement by the Ministry of Tourism, we will be focusing on commercial airlines and business jets in the show," she said.

The show will focus on general aviation, business and regional jets, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), airport technologies and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

"With its strategic location, KLas 2009 is set to draw a larger participation of commercial aircraft and buyers internationally," she told reporters adding that World Aerospace was also the organiser for last year's Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition in the aviation division.

Nonee said it was timely to hold the airshow in Subang, being a more conducive place to have an exhibition of such nature.

"It is also timely as the VistaJet Skypark had been launched in Subang and LIMA has grown into a military show especially the maritime sector so there is a vacuum in the commercial sector for aerospace," she added.

She also said that the show will not only address the trade people but will also be opened to the public on the last two days.

People from the Klang Valley will be treated to airshows involving international aerobatic teams, she added.

Source : Bernama
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2008]

Tourism Malaysia To Promote Domestic Tourism

Tourism Malaysia will cooperate with more organisations to promote domestic tourism including supporting more Treasure Hunt programmes.

Domestic tourism was among the most important segment of the industry as it formed the backbone of the country's tourism, its Deputy Director-General (Promotions), Datuk Razali Mohd Daud, told reporters after flagging of the NPC-Celcom 2008 Treasure Hunt to Penang at the Celcom headquarters here Saturday.

He said domestic tourism was also important to the country as it helped to prevent the outflow of funds besides inculcating national integration among the various races in the country.

He said treasure hunt programmes should be held from time to time not only by the media but also other groups so that the people could see for themselves the facilities available in the country.

Meanwhile, National Press Club (NPC) president Mokhtar Hussain said Penang was selected as the destination of the treasure hunt this year to coincide with the selection of Georgetown as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

"Besides recreation, we hope the hunt can contribute in promoting domestic tourism. We feel this is the right time to invite the public to know the 'Pearl of the Orient' more closely as well as interacting directly with pressmen," he said.

With the theme "Lets Travel" and the slogan "Travel To Appreciate Heritage", the Treasure Hunt is being participated by almost 300 hunters comprising media personnel, Celcom staff and the public travelling in 100 vehicles.

First prize winners will receive a cash prize of RM5,000 for the media and open categories. It is being sponsored by Celcom for the third time consecutively while the other sponsors include TRC Synergy Bhd, Sime Darby Bhd, Sutera Harbour Resorts.

Mokhtar said the NPC planned to organise the annual event to the East Coast or the southern states next year.

Source : Bernama
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2008]

AirAsia To Start Operation In Melaka's Bukit Berendam Airport Dec 8

Low cost carrier AirAsia is expected to start its operations this December 8 at Melaka's Batu Berendam Airport (LTBB) which is undergoing a facelift worth RM131.5 million.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said six destinations had been identified by Air Asia for its initial operations comprising four places in Sumatra and two domestic destinations.

"The destinations jointly agreed upon, using the Boeing 737 aircraft, are Palembang, Pekan Baru, Padang and Medan in Sumatra, and Pulau Pinang and Langkawi," he told reporters after chairing the Exco meeting here Wednesday.

Also present at Wednesday's event was Air Asia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, chairman of Air Asia Datuk Aziz Bakar and the general manager of Malaysia Airports Bhd, Abdul Rahman Karim.

Mohd Ali said the four major towns in Sumatra were selected based on their potential for medical tourism while Pulau Pinang and Langkawi for their popularity as tourist destinations.

"Among other destinations being suggested are Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu and Nanjing in China and we have opened negotiations to other airline companies besides Air Asia which showed an early commitment to use the LTBB," he said.

The expansion and upgrading work on LTBB which started last April is expected to be completed in April next year and a major aim is to provide facilities to medical tourists.

The number of medical tourists who sought medical assistance in the specialist hospital in Melaka is estimated to have gone up to more than 67,000 people last year compared with 18,000 people in 2004 with most of them coming from Sumatra.

Work on LTBB is being carried out by the Uni-Integrated consortium which will construct a new terminal covering 7,000 sq metres and is expected to be equipped with various facilities to cater to both domestic and international flights.

Mohd Ali said the Batu Berendam airport will be able to handle a capacity of 1.5 million passengers a year, adding that some 500,000 visitors were expected in the first five years.

On the runway, which would have to be extended by 400 metres to 2,200 metres from the current 1,800 metres, he said the contractors involved in the expansion of LTBB had agreed to first bear the cost of RM40 million.

"I am giving the guarantee to the contractors that the state government will pay the RM40 million after a period of several years," he said.

He said that the application for the RM40 million has been also submitted to the Transport Ministry and is currently under consideration.

The extension of the runway to 2,200 metres is in line with international specifications for the safe and comfortable landing of an Airbus 320.

Meanwhile, Tony said Air Asia was ready to cooperate with the Melaka government. He also described Melaka as having great potential as a tourist destination especially in medical tourism.

"Coincidentally, Dec 8 is also the anniversary date of Air Asia and we are ready to take on a role in LTBB and hope to transport many tourists through the LTBB," he said.

Source : Bernama
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2008]

Beachfront Mosque Set To Be Tourist Draw

Not many people, including the residents here, know that Tawau’s Al-Kauthar Mosque is the largest in Sabah and may rank as among the biggest in the country.

What ever it is, the mosque in its own right is rather unique due to its vicinity to commercial centres and a public transport terminal.

Among the buildings in the mosque locality are the district public library and the Federal House that has the offices of various government agencies.

The mosque sits along the beachfront that has a popular recreational stretch known as the Traulsen Drive.

The sight from within the mosque itself is something to behold, as one is able to witness the merchant ships and fishing boats that sail in the Cowie Straits.

From the mosque, one has a clear sight of Pulau Sebatik, an island divided between Malaysia and Indonesia.

YANG DI PERTUAN AGONG

Construction of the RM31.5 million Al-Kauthar Mosque began on June 19, 1997.

The mosque was fully completed in October 2002 and the structure was officially opened by the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail on Aug 13, 2004.

The mosque has a dome that measures 20 metres in circumference as well as a minaret that stands 58 metres metres high.

Surrounded by lush greenery which include flowering plants, giving it a touch of radiance, the mosque can accommodate a congregation of up to 17,000 people at any particular time.

In the evenings, several eagles can be seen circling high above the mosque before making their descent onto the mosque's dome.

The raptors appear to be involved in a dogfight trying to get a grip on the domes crescent and star-shaped structures.

SEMINAR FACILITIES

The Al-Kauthar Mosque also boasts of having facilities for conducting seminars apart from being equipped with an administration office, library and outlet for the sale of religious paraphernalia.

Its strategic location provides a short and easy route for Muslims from nearby business complexes and offices as well as those on leisure visits to the beach to reach it to perform their religious obligations.

TOURISM ASSET?

Looking at the buildings standing as the largest mosque in Sabah and among the biggest in Malaysia, Al-Kauthar Mosque has the potential of being turned into a tourist draw for the district.

What is needed to make this a reality is a concerted effort by the state government and religious authorities as well as the mosque management and travel agents to promote Al-Kauthar Mosque as a tourist draw.

The State Legislative Assembly Representative for Tanjung Batu, Datuk Hamisah Samad, said the mosque is suitable to be developed into a tourist attraction for Tawau.

"As a resident of Tawau, I welcome any move to turn Al-Kauthar Mosque into one of Tawaus tourism products", Hamisah told Bernama here recently.

She said for this to materialise, several aspects like the mosques surrounding landscape should be improved for the sake of the visiting tourists.

Tawau is the gateway for air travellers to the tourism haven of Semporna, located some 30 km away.

Source : Bernama
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2008]

KLCC Wins UN Green Globe Award

The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) bagged another award when it received the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze Status recently.

To win the award, KLCC was measured against its sustainable policy, energy consumption, portable (treated) water consumption, wastes sent to landfill, community development, paper products, cleaning products and pesticide products.

KLCC has also achieved best practices in three areas namely, energy consumption, water consumption and wastes sent to landfill.

General manager Peter Brokenshire said in the press statement that the KLCC would continue to look into more prudent measures involving all levels of staff to ensure that they were able to exceed previous performance levels.

He credited KLCC's ongoing 3R (Reduce, Re-use and Recycle) campaign which encouraged staff and visitors to segregate their rubbish into colourful bins strategically located around the centre," stated Brokenshire.

Amongst the awards already under KLCC's belt are: TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards' "Best Exhibition and Convention Centre in Asia" in 2007 and the BrandLaureate Awards 2007-2008 for excellence in product branding.nchmarked Bronze Status recently.

To win the award, KLCC was measured against its sustainable policy, energy consumption, portable (treated) water consumption, wastes sent to landfill, community development, paper products, cleaning products and pesticide products.

KLCC has also achieved best practices in three areas namely, energy consumption, water consumption and wastes sent to landfill.

General manager Peter Brokenshire said in the press statement that the KLCC would continue to look into more prudent measures involving all levels of staff to ensure that they were able to exceed previous performance levels.

He credited KLCC's ongoing 3R (Reduce, Re-use and Recycle) campaign which encouraged staff and visitors to segregate their rubbish into colourful bins strategically located around the centre," stated Brokenshire.

Amongst the awards already under KLCC's belt are: TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards' "Best Exhibition and Convention Centre in Asia" in 2007 and the BrandLaureate Awards 2007-2008 for excellence in product branding.

Source : Bernama
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2008]

KLCC Wins UN Green Globe Award

10 proposals to build hotels in Penang

GEORGE Town’s listing as a World Heritage Site by Unesco has drawn the confidence of investors to Penang, especially in the tourism sector.

Penang Tourism Development, Culture, Arts and Heritage Com-mittee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang said this was shown by the over 10 proposals the state had re-ceived from potential investors to set up hotels in the state.

“The proposals include hotels in Penang Road, Magazine Road, Burmah Road, Kelawei Road, Tan-jung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi and Weld Quay. Some heritage buildings in George Town will also be converted into hotels,’’ he said in his speech at the Penang Hoteliers’ Association’s 51st annual dinner on Sunday night.

The dinner was also held in conjunction with the celebration of George Town’s listing as a World Heritage Site.

Former state executive councillor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, who was the guest of honour, urged the state government and Penangites to comply with the heritage guidelines set by Unesco so that the state’s listing would not be jeopardised.

“This listing is just the begin-ning of a great challenge to the present state government as the people of Penang would be having high expectations that the listing would bring about better economic development for the state,’’ he said.

Association chairman Datuk Lim Mee Lee, in his speech, urged the state government to improve security and safety measures at tourist spots in Penang to make tourists feel safe.

“If Penang has a high crime rate, it would have a bad impact on our tourism industry,’’ he said.

He also urged the state government to have a professional heritage management committee to look into reviving significant heritage buildings which are in poor condition.

Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2008]