KUALA LUMPUR: The "craziest sale in town" started at midnight with AirAsia offering a 99 per cent discount on tickets to all its destinations.
Limited to 500,000 seats for travel between April 1 and July 31, the booking period will end on Feb 7.
Bookings can be made through its website, call centres, sales offices and airport sale stations.
The discount is only for one-way travel, and does not include airport taxes, fuel surcharges and fees.
"We are just supporting Visit Malaysia Year 2007 the way AirAsia knows best," said AirAsia executive vice-president Kathleen Tan.
Meanwhile, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad will introduce a special KTM Komuter Tourist pass for three months from March 19.
A RM12 day-long hop-on-off unlimited travel pass will cover the whole of KTMB’s commuter network, aside from Intercity trains. Children aged four to 12 and senior citizens pay RM8.
Those taking Intercity trains will also get a good deal, said KTMB Intercity Services SBU marketing manager Mohd Noordin Kimi. KTMB is offering a 25 per cent discount to groups of at least four travelling together.
For example, a group travelling first class on a day train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur will pay RM121.90 instead of RM156.40 each.
The offer is in conjunction with the 23rd Matta Fair at Putra World Trade Centre from March 16 to 18.
The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents Fair organising chairman Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said he was pleased to have KTMB on board to promote not just the fair but tourism also.
Supported by Tourism Malaysia, the 889-booth fair is sponsored by Malaysia Airlines, Visa and Abacus Distribution Systems with New Straits Times, Nanyang Siang Pau, China Press and Traveller’s Digest as the official media partners.
The entrance fee is RM3 for adults, and free for children below 12. Some 90,000 people are expected to visit.
Source : NST
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
MAS offering 250,000 seats at discounted rates during travel fair
 |
Tempting choices: Francis showing posters on the airfares at a press conference in Petaling Jaya on Monday. |
The fares to 23 destinations range from RM9 to RM199 and are available only at www. malaysiaairlines.com from today until Feb 6.
The travel period is from March 1 to Sept 30.
The RM9 fare includes the Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan and Penang-Langkawi routes.
For RM199, you can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau.
Tickets to international destinations are also available from RM59 to RM1,199 at the Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair (MATF) from tomorrow to Feb 6.
The cost from Kuala Lumpur to Medan is RM59; to Hong Kong RM299; to London RM999; and to Los Angeles RM1,199.
The travel period is from Feb 24 to Sept 30.
The fares do not include airport tax, fuel and insurance surcharge.
Tickets to international destinations can be bought at all MAS travel agents, as well as via www.malaysiaairlines.com or the airline’s 24-hour call centre at the toll-free number 1 300 88 3000 in Malaysia.
MAS network revenue management senior general manager Bernard Francis said the domestic websaver airfares would help promote domestic tourism in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2007.
“Even though we are very focused on promoting Asean destinations, we also want to encourage our customers to travel within the country,” he said.
Francis said that through its domestic rationalisation exercise, MAS was able to forecast the demand for seats and restructure its costs.
MAS corporate marketing and loyalty programme general manager Raja Nordiana Zainal Shah said applicants for Enrich, its frequent flyer programme, at MATF would be awarded a bonus 2,000 miles.
“The lucky 25th applicant will be given the Enrich Silver card,” she said.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
G Hotel Opens in Penang
ARRIVE IN STYLE
Embrace the essence of style. A stunning atrium lobby filled with designer furniture. 304 stylishly appointed rooms designed for comfort. Gourmet journeys served up in a refined ambience. An infinity pool complte with bespoke amenities to unwind in. Visit the remarkably stylish G Hotel. NOW OPEN.
Download Hotel G Fact Sheet
G Hotel - Penang's Most Sylish Address 168A Persiaran Gurney 10250 Penang Tel 604 238 0000 www.ghotel.com.my
Source : G Hotel
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Mandarin Oriental to manage luxury Los Angeles hotel and residences
Related today announced that it has signed an agreement with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group expressing intent to manage the hotel component at the prestigious Grand Avenue development in downtown Los Angeles. The hotel will occupy the first 20 floors of a 48-story tower designed by Frank Gehry that will feature luxury for-sale residences on the upper floors. The 275-room hotel, expected to open in Summer 2010, will introduce a world-renowned hotel to downtown that will attract new and diverse visitors to the city center.
"This marks a major milestone for Grand Avenue in our mission to create downtown Los Angeles' premier destination," said Stephen M. Ross, Chairman and CEO of Related. "Mandarin Oriental is legendary for its service and unsurpassed in hotel management and we intend to set a new standard for this region." He noted that Mandarin Oriental is highly sought after, but is extremely selective in its choice of venues. Related and the AAA Five-Diamond Mandarin Oriental New York at Related's Time Warner Center have together sold out The Residences at Mandarin Oriental New York which defined Five Star Living(TM).
"This is great news for Grand Avenue and for downtown Los Angeles," said Eli Broad, chairman of the Grand Avenue Committee that has overseen the management of the redevelopment project for the past five years. "We are pleased with the prospect of having a hotelier of the stature of the Mandarin Oriental in what will be the most stunning high-rise in Los Angeles in the center of a burgeoning cultural district."
The hotel will create 400 to 500 new jobs for Los Angeles in addition to attracting visitors that will shop, dine and enjoy an evening's entertainment at one of downtown's many venues. The hotel will occupy the lower floors of an iconic 48-story tower designed by Frank Gehry. A dramatic soaring entrance lobby will take full advantage of its location directly opposite Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall. Set among 250,000 square feet of specialty retail and world-class restaurants, the tower will be the architectural centerpiece of Grand Avenue and will house luxury residential units on its upper floors above the hotel, which will feature dramatic and sweeping views.
Set on a full city block of four acres directly across the street from the city's signature Disney Hall, the first phase of Grand Avenue is slated to start construction late this year. Its mix of retail, restaurants and public amenities as well as the hotel and residential condominiums will create a destination that is pedestrian-friendly and attractive to residents and visitors.
Gehry's design for this large urban site is influenced by its context. It weaves landscaped public spaces into the neighborhood with both street-front and multi-level retail, plazas, terraces and walkways with expansive view corridors and pedestrian connections to downtown's cultural center, the new civic park and adjoining Grand Avenue, First, Second, and Olive Streets. The form and scale of the buildings respect Disney Hall and will create a striking landmark for the Grand Avenue neighborhood.
A broad spectrum of retail is planned in Grand Avenue phase one including a 50,000-square-foot specialty food market, a major bookstore, a food hall, a 35,000-square-foot premier health club, a 25,000-square-foot event facility, signature retailers and specialty apparel shops. A collection of local, regional and nationally recognized restaurants will play a major role in establishing the ambiance and appeal of this new downtown destination.
"We have received an enthusiastic response from a significant number of impressive retailers and restaurateurs, and are in serious discussions with many who have strong interest in locating at Grand Avenue," noted Kenneth A. Himmel, president and CEO, Related Urban Development. "We anticipate announcing additional commitments in the near future."
The entire nine-acre Grand Avenue mixed-use redevelopment comprises 450,000 square feet of retail, the 275-room hotel and up to 2,600 residences, providing a new and dynamic community for downtown as well as a Southern California destination that will engage the region's more than 17 million residents and 24 million annual visitors.
About Related
Heralded as one of the most prolific and visionary developers in the country, Related was formed over thirty-five years ago. Today Related is considered the most prominent privately owned real estate development firm in the United States, headquartered in New York City with divisions in development, acquisitions, property management, marketing and sales. In 2004, Related completed the development of New York City's newest landmark, Time Warner Center. Related has affiliated companies and developments in Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago and boasts a team of more than 2,000 professionals. To date, Related has real estate assets worth over $15 billion with another $9 billion currently in development. In Los Angeles, Related is expanding its portfolio with The Century, a super-luxury condominium in Century City and The Grand Avenue development, situated directly across from the beloved Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Hall, which will include luxury residences, retail, notable restaurants, and a world class hotel.
Related is also the largest shareholder in CharterMac, the largest financier of affordable housing in the country.
Source : ehotelier
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Shangri-La's Revenue Management to Include Spa & F&B
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is currently developing guidelines for Spa and F&B revenue management apart from rooms and event revenue management.
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Stefan Wolf, director - revenue management, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts says such new guidelines as well as other RM initiatives only work if they get the appropriate amount of support from the various members of the property revenue management team as well as the from the corporate support teams.
In an interview with EyeforTravel.com’s Ritesh Gupta, Wolf spoke about Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts other RM initiatives. Excerpts:
How do you handle issue of rate parity or disparity across various channels?
How is customer behaviour affected by changes in price and pricing strategy?
The reaction to price strategy changes can vary so much depending on the price sensitivity, demand situation and market segment that the only way to answer that question is to track consumer behaviour changes in relation to demand and include the result of this analysis in the next pricing discussion.
How do you think the way forecasting is done has evolved?
Forecasting - being the base revenue maximising strategies should be build on - is getting more and more scientific. Even if you don’t use an automated RMS with complicated algorithms, excel spreadsheets now look at segment or subsegment level, while a couple of years ago the focus was on day by day occupancy forecast. Booking pace is another factor, which has to be considered and also can be analysed without a RMS by looking at the market segment pick-up report.
What route/practices do you adopt when it comes to building RM team?
Identifying the right candidate for the right location as the expectation of the revenue managers skills can vary quite a bit from property to property and making sure that the whole revenue strategy team gets involved at an opening hotel or if a new initiative is being rolled out.
How do you overcome language barriers and complexity of different markets in Asia when it comes to training?
The involvement of employees with different first languages is higher if they are trained together with peers at a similar experience level.
What’s on your agenda?
Training will again play an important role in 2007 as we have seen a good ROI and it also is a very good motivator for the team.
Source: eyefortravel.com
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Monday, January 29, 2007
Plan for Ladies Street Market in Penang
A LADIES street market offering accessories, clothing and shoes for ladies will likely be set up along Leith Street.
State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said recently that the market would take after the night market concept.
“The idea has just been mooted and it has to be discussed with the Night Market Traders Association before a proposal is submitted to the Penang Municipal Council,” Teng told reporters after opening the Red Garden Food Paradise at 20, Leith Street.
He expected the nod to be given for the market by end of the year.
Teng said the market was among the ideas mooted by the Upper Pe-nang Road Committee to turn the place into a tourist attraction.
Earlier in his speech, Teng said he was delighted that the Red Garden Food Paradise was promoting fine food and shopping under one roof.
The outlet has 34 hawker stalls selling local favourites and 26 retail outlets.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
3,000 Rainforest World Music Festival Tickets Snapped Up
KUCHING: The Rainforest World Music Festival may be five months away but tickets are already selling like hot cakes.
Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive Gracie Geikie said 3,000 tickets had been snapped up so far since they started them selling in December.
She added that about 60% of the tickets were bought by foreigners and she expected locals to “wait for the last minute”.
Geikie said this year’s event, to be held at the Sarawak Cultural Village from July 13 to 15, promised to be special as the festival was celebrating its 10th anniversary.
“We are bringing in the best groups who have performed here since 1997, so it will be a reunion of sorts. We’re also inviting them to bring in their arts, crafts and food,” she told a press conference.
She added that as in previous years, the crowd would be limited to 8,000 people per day.
“The quality of the event must be maintained and we can’t just look at bigger numbers. There’s no suitable venue right now that will give us the right ambience of culture and nature as the Sarawak Cultural Village,” Geikie added.
State Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Wong Soon Koh announced that a limited edition book would be published to commemorate the festival’s 10th anniversary.
Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak – Music Without Borders, the 256-page book, will feature the groups that have performed at the event as well as their musical instruments.
He also announced that HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd as the official bank of the festival.
HSBC East Malaysia area manager Thomas Varughese said the bank was proud to support the state government in its efforts to promote tourism in Sarawak, particularly during Visit Malaysia 2007.
Tickets priced at RM80 (RM40 for children) for a one-day pass and RM200 (RM100 for children) for a three-day pass are available online at www.ticketcharge.com.my.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Tourism in Desaru hit badly by floods
KOTA TINGGI: Johor’s premier tourist destination, Desaru, has been badly hurt by the floods with bookings at its resorts down by half.
A check showed that many resorts have been recording a 50% drop in visitors since the first floods hit the state on Dec 17.
An official from the Desaru Perdana Resort said many guests, especially those from Singapore, cancelled their bookings during the Christmas period constituting a 40% to 50% drop. An official from the Desaru Golden Beach said the resort, which had a room occupancy rate of 50%, rented out only 15 of its 200 rooms during the flood period.
At the Sebana resort, which rakes in an average of 40 golfers each weekend, only 26 golfers came last weekend via ferry.
Resort officials said the golfers, mostly Singaporeans, came only via sea and none came via land. The golfers disembarked at the Sebana ferry terminal boarding at the Tanah Merah terminal. Only 10 rooms were filled at the resort on the weekend, in contrast to the average of 40 in the preflood days.
Johor Tourist Guides Association chairman Jimmy Leong said the tourism sector saw a 90% drop in arrivals, resulting in millions of ringgit in losses.
“Normally, we receive 100 tour buses with about 3,500 tourists. Now, only 10 buses are coming into Johor. The tourists are scared the floods will prevent them from going back,” he said, adding that the floods had hampered accessibility to tourist spots in Desaru, Muar and Malacca.
Leong said he hoped the monsoon season would end soon. State Tourism and Environment committee chairman Freddie Long said the floods had affected popular tourist destinations like Kota Tinggi and Mersing.
“Although affected, the other areas are not critical,” he said, adding that Johor Tourism Action Council was compiling data on losses for the Tourism Ministry.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Penang to Promote Marina to Cruise Liners
PENANG is taking steps to promote Tanjong City Marina to more cruise liners.
The 1,600 passengers were pleasantly surprised when they were given VIP treatment.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Deputy State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Lye Siew Weng said the tourism sector in Penang would benefit tremendously when cruise passengers went sightseeing on trishaws, taxis and buses.
“This will directly result in better income for tour agents, trishaw riders and drivers.
“Traders will also benefit when the pas- sengers buy souvenirs and other items from them,” he said after presenting bunga telur and brochures to visitors who arrived on British cruise liner Artemis at the marina.
 |
Off They Go:The holiday makers enjoying a tour of the city. |
They were taken on a half-day trip around the Penang island.
Lye, who led the welcoming committee, said aggressive promotion strategies were taken to encourage foreign cruise liners to stop over at the marina.
“Our selling point is that the marina is located within the city. The moment they disembark they are in the city,” he said.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Floral Parade fills Putrajaya with life
PUTRAJAYA: Putrajaya stirred awake early yesterday to a fusion of colours and the sweet fragrance of flowers.
The government administrative centre, which is usually quiet on weekends, saw about 50,000 people turning up to watch the Floral Parade along Persiaran Perdana.
The two-hour event, which boasted 18 floats and 19 performing brass bands from schools and the police, thrilled the crowd with floral creations of giant butterflies, Formula One cars, astronauts, elephants and even a giant green lizard.
 |
Feline magic: Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s cat band float won the trophy for creativity during the Floral Parade. |
The clear favourite was the butterfly-themed concoction from Penang. It not only won a roaring round of applause from the spectators when one of its mechanical “insects” twitched its wings but also the Premier Prize from the judges for overall presentation.
Other noteworthy participants were the “green lizard agamid” float from Sabah and the “rampaging” elephants’ float from Pahang, which walked away with the trophies for best theme and the Jury Special Award respectively.
The parade, which was attended by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah, was the culmination of the week-long Flora Fest.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
 |
Naturally Sabah: The lizard-themed float from the Land Below the Wind symbolises its ability to blend with the environment. |
He urged Malaysians to “think local” when taking their holidays instead of travelling overseas.
Najib said this year’s floral parade was the biggest since it was first launched in 1991.
“I hope the parade will attract more participants in the years to come so that one day, it will become comparable to the floral fests held in other countries.
“The commercial cultivation of flowers in our country is still at a low level and is usually based in the highlands due to the climate.
“There may come a day when we will be able to intensify this sector of horticulture and increase our production of fresh flowers,” he said.
 |
Full of life: Pahang’s float highlights the state’s rich flora and fauna. |
Tengku Adnan said the parade attracted some 3,000 foreign visitors, including overseas journalists, photographers and tour agents.
“We managed to sell 3,000 tour packages just for the parade,” he added.
Among those who turned up was 70-year-old Capt G. F. Leibbrandt, a Dutch citizen who had been living in Malaysia for the past 27 years.
“I’ve only got my Permanent Residence two weeks ago after so many years of waiting. And the reward for the waiting is that I will be able to live in the country for the rest of my life.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Sheraton Penang Exudes a Sweet Fragrance
GOING all out in full flower power, Sheraton Penang Hotel is vying for honours at the inter-hotel best decoration competition held in conjunction with Floral Fest 2007.
Its general manager Ahmad Buk-hari Hamzah said: “This is among our efforts to support the government’s programmes.
“I understand that there are six hotels in Penang which are taking part in the competition.”
For a week starting on Friday, the hotel’s front service staff would be wearing floral-themed uniform.
A stunning garden showcasing both artificial and fresh flowers is also featured at the lobby which is permeated with a lavender scent.
Its sales and marketing director Damian Chua said the hotel was spending about RM15,000 for the project.
A cocktail reception attended by assemblymen Cheang Chee Gooi and Looi Swee Cheang was held at the event’s launching on Friday night.
Long-staying guests and travel trade representatives were also there.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
A’Famosa to be Rebuilt
 |
Interesting find: This figurine head was found at the site. |
About 350m of the buried walls of the fortress will be reconstructed stone by stone to its original dimensions of 8m by 5m, said Commissioner of Heritage Prof Datuk Dr Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid.
She said the completed structure would encompass the city’s 11.3ha heritage site in Bandar Hilir.
“When completed, the fort will be one of the nation’s prominent historical structures and will completely transform Malaysia’s historical landscape. Visitors will literally be able to journey to the past and relive history.”
“It’s a very exciting project for us to be able to reconstruct the wall. Once completed, the fort will be able to impart the historical importance of that era,” she said.
 |
Unearthed: Part of the site revealing the ruins of the Middelburgh Bastion in Malacca. |
“However, existing buildings and other structures will not be touched,” she said.
“We will excavate and expose the southern side of the foundation of the fort’s walls and its six bastions before using laterite stones from Malacca’s Pulau Upeh to reconstruct the fort,” she added.
 |
 |
Plumbing: Pipes believed to have originated during the Dutch era were dug out. |
Dr Siti Zuraina said the department had requested a special budget allocation from the Cabinet as the project was expected to be costly.
Presently, the department is using documents and paintings of the fort dating back to 1512 to determine its dimensions and design, but may require further documents from overseas sources.
“We might study the Galle Fort, which is fully intact in Sri Lanka, as it is a good example of how the fort would look like because they both share a similar history,” she added.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Suicide blast at Marriott Hotel Islamabad
A suicide bomber killed a security guard and himself when he set off explosives strapped to his body outside the Marriott Hotel in the Pakistani capital Islamabad today, the interior minister said.
The powerful blast, which could be heard across the city, occurred when the guard prevented the attacker from entering the heavily-protected five-star hotel, Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said.
"It was a suicide attack. The suicide attacker and a guard were killed," Sherpao said. "The attacker tried to enter the hotel and was stopped by the security guard and there was a scuffle and the blast occurred."
Mr Sherpao added: "The attacker's body was totally mutilated. There is hardly any body left. His limbs were scattered around the area."
Police officers cordoned off the site and placed a white cloth over the attacker's body after the blast, which happened in a high-security zone of Islamabad near government offices.
The bomber's head was lying at the scene and his mangled, scorched body was thrown over a crash barrier outside the hotel's nightclub and laundry room, opposite the guest car park.
Panicked guests poured out of the hotel after the explosion before being escorted to other areas.
"I was taking lunch at the Royal Elephant Thai restaurant inside the Marriott when the entire restaurant was shaken by a bang," hotel guest Mohammed Aamir said.
"It literally shook us out of our seats. It was a huge bang. We rushed outside and there was chaos."
A senior security official also confirmed it was a suicide bombing.
"It is a suicide attack, the man approached the entrance and he was apparently stopped by the guard when the explosion occurred. The guard was also killed," the official said on condition of anonymity.
Four injured people were treated at the city's Poly Clinic hospital, a doctor said.
"We have received four casualties," doctor Murtaza Nadeem said. "One is serious and three others have minor injuries," he added.
The outer wall of the hotel opposite the guest parking lot was blackened while several cars were also damaged with their windscreens and rear windows broken.
The Marriott's management was not immediately available for comment.
An unexplained explosion outside the hotel's lobby in October 2004 injured a US diplomat.
Security is extremely heavy at the Marriott with all vehicles and guests subjected to rigorous checks.
The hotel was due to host a function later in the day marking the 58th Republic Day of Pakistan's regional rival India.
Source : Ehotelier
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Malaysia voted Best Destination for 2006
NEW YORK: Malaysia has been voted the world's best tourism destination for 2006 by a prestigious US travel magazine, ahead of such destinations as Hawaii and Bali.
This is the finding of a poll conducted by Global Traveller Magazine, a monthly travel magazine that has 60,055 subscribers.
The questionnaires, which covered 42 categories, were made available as an insert in the subscriber copies of the magazine and online on its website.
Behind Malaysia in the poll were Singapore, Hong Kong, Italy, Indonesia (Bali), Hawaii, Thailand (Phuket), South Africa, Fiji and Australia.
The poll was conducted from Feb 1 to Aug 31 last year by the publication, which describes itself as a business travel magazine that “takes into account the sophisticated lifestyle interests of today's executive travellers.”
In what is viewed as another “feather in Malaysia's cap,” global financial services company UBS, which has been evaluating the costs incurred by business travellers in a number of cities, has judged Malaysia as the “best bargain” on the planet.
UBS said a business traveller in Kuala Lumpur paid an average of US$260 (RM910) for a hotel room, meals, transportation and entertainment.
In comparison, Tokyo is the most expensive city and will cost the traveller US$1,090 (RM3,816) a day.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Windsurfing Madness in Pahang - International Monsoon Madness at Balok
 |
Flying in the air: A contestant of the kitesurfing event showing off his skills. |
The competition was organised by the state government through Fraser’s Hill Development Corporation (PKBF) with the cooperation of West Coast Windsurfing Association (WCWA).
It had three formats - high speed downwind, slalommasterblast high speed and Foster’s Killer-Loop.
In the third format, participants have to hit the biggest wave at top speed, jumping between 6m and 10m into the air and then perform a 360-degree forward loop.
The competition was divided into five categories - Open, Malaysian, Masters, Ladies and Kitesurfing.
This year’s event was held from Jan 18-20 at the Balok Water Recreation Centre.
In recent years, windsurfing has become a popular offshore water sport among local surfers. It was started as a sport by a group of windsurfing enthusiasts from Kuala Lumpur who tried the game in Balok during the monsoon season in the early 1980s.
They found out that the open water with wind speed of between eight knots and 20 knots per hour was suitable for windsurfing and they have been coming to Balok on a regular basis.
The locals called the surfers a bunch of mad people for their zealousness in the strong wind and open sea during a time when most people avoid coming to the east coast to stay away from the heavy rain and the possibility of getting stuck due to floods.
 |
Strong arms: A participant in the windsurfing category muscling through the wind and waves. |
It graduated into an international event known as the International Monsoon Madness Windsurfing Challenge and grew steadily during the 1980s and 1990s, attracting major sponsors, media coverage and culminating in the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) holding major World Cup events in Kuantan in 1990, 1992 and 1993.
The WCWA was formed in 1994 to further develop and promote the sport and among its objectives are to put windsurfing within the reach of all Malaysians, identify and train potential sailors for major regional games and the Olympics 2008 and attract PWA back to Malaysia.
It has included kite-surfing and this has been a competitive event over the past three years.
Youths and Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman opened this year's competition on Jan 18.
State Culture, Arts and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Maznah Mazlan said she was happy with how the competition had turned out and the number of spectators it attracted.
“The number of participants was double that of last year’s competition while the spectators who came increased as well.
“This is good because we want locals to appreciate and learn about the sport as well,” she said in an interview.
She noted that the sport was an expensive one and suggested, if the items could be rented, it might help those interested in windsurfing to pursue it at a lower cost.
Another way of addressing the matter was for the Government to provide assistance to enhance and promote the activity, she added.
The winner of the Open category was Jesper Orth from Denmark, second placing went to Poland's Pawel Hlavaty while Dan Ellis from England took home the third prize.
In the Malaysian category, the first, second and third winners were Yeap Leong Soon, Leo Leow and Kenny Heng, respectively.
 |
Victorious: Winners of the Open category posing with Mirza Mohammad Taiyab (wearing batik shirt) and Siti Rahmah Ahmad (wearing baju kurung). |
Indonesian lass Yuni Trisnowati was the champion in the Ladies category with Rachel Charis Ng from Singapore in second place.
The kitesurfing event saw two Thais, Narapichit Pudla and Phaetratsu Phanuwat grabbing first and second placing while Singaporean Aoron Yang settled for third place.
The winners received a total of US$8,100 (RM29,970) in cash.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Unwind at Lata Lembik
RAUB: The name sounds unusual but Lata Lembik (placid waterfall) is a picnic spot popular among locals because of its cool and clear stream surrounded by lush greenery.
Administered by the Raub district office and the Kela Village Development and Security Committee, it has amenities such as a public toilet, food stalls, surau and multipurpose hall and an open space ideal for camping, motivational seminars and Family Day activities.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Located in the Batu Talam state constituency, 40km from Raub, it is also a yearly venue of the Titiwangsa Expedition where participants traverse from Lata Lembik upstream to the upper reaches of Slim River in Perak.
Raub district officer Abdul Kadir Awang Bakar said Lata Lembik, which was opened to the public seven years ago, was located near Buntu Post, an orang asli settlement on the Pahang-Perak border.
 |
Cool: The Lata Lembik waterfall in Raub is in the Batu Talam state constituency. |
Abdul Kadir said that to capitalise on its tourism potential, chalets would be built at Lata Lembik with an allocation from the Tourism Ministry under the Ninth Malaysia Plan so that visitors could stay longer at the picnic spot.
Batu Talam headman A.B. Lah Mat Isa said visitors could now drive to the waterfall with the completion a new road in the area or take a bus or taxi.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Friday, January 26, 2007
Video : Malaysia One Golden Celebration
Visit Malaysia Year 2007
In line with Visit Malaysia Year 2007 (VMY 2007), Tourism Malaysia did a short video presentation to attract tourists to malaysia.
Tourism Malaysia's Promotional Video, featuring our Prime Minister welcoming the world to Malaysia followed with the song Malaysia One Golden Celebration and the multi color and ethnic pictures of Malaysia.
Watch the One Golden Celebration Video below, or click HERE
Related Link
Download "One Golden Celebration" Song
Download "One Golden Celebration" Video
Related Posts
- VMY2007 Theme Song
- Download VMY 2007 Song (mp3) - Malaysia One Golden Celebration
- Juwita Suwito is the Voice behind the VMY Song
Source : Tourism Malaysia
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Rapid KL Bus Service During Floral Parade
In conjunction with the Floral Parade on 27 January 2007, Rapid KL offers two direct bus services to the parade venue at Persiaran Putrajaya. The two direct services are from KL Sentral and Putrajaya Sentral stations.
From KL Sentral, the direct bus service leaves every 15 minutes from 5.45am to 12 midnight. The fare is RM4, valid for the whole day. The service from Putrajaya Sentral departs every 10 minutes from 5.45am on 27 January to 12.30am on 28 January. The fare is RM1, valid for the whole day.
In addition, there are four interconnecting services from various locations in the Klang Valley and Cyberjaya. They are:
1. Maluri LRT station to Serdang KTM station
The bus leaves every 20 minutes from 5.45am to 12 midnight. The fare is RM2.
2. KTM Serdang to Putrajaya Sentral
The bus leaves every 20 minutes from 5.45am to 12 midnight. The fare is RM2.
3. One Utama to Putrajaya Sentral
The bus leaves every 20 minutes from 5.45am to 12 midnight. The fare is RM2.
4. Cyberjaya Transport Terminal to Putrajaya Sentral
The bus leaves every 10 minutes from 5.45am on 27 January to 12.30am on 28 January. The fare is RM1.
The Floral Parade will be held from 8am to 10am. There are 18 floats interspersed by 19 marching bands participating in the parade which will be telecasted live on TV3. After the parade, the floats will be displayed in the air-conditioned tent for the public to view. There is also a Floral Bazaar where visitors can find various kinds of flowers and plants for sale.
For more information, please contact the Flora Fest Secretariat (Encik Zulkifli Mohamed) at telephone: +603 2615 8285, fax: +603 2693 0207 or e-mail: zulkiflimohamed@tourism.gov.my .
Source : Tourism Malaysia
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Shopping in Kuala Lumpur
Retail therapy takes on a new meaning in Kuala Lumpur as the bustling city caters to those with shopping fever. Choose between international brands and home-grown creations, luxury products and classy imitations. Best of all, Kuala Lumpur offers shoppers many opportunities to bargain for the price they want.
Fondly known as the Golden Triangle, the shopping hub of Kuala Lumpur brings together a rich variety of experiences for shoppers including high-end retail therapy at Starhill Gallery and high-tech bargains at Low Yat Plaza.
Starhill Gallery in Jalan Bukit Bintang stands out with its sleek interiors, themed retail floors and range of quality products. Glass storefronts give a peek into its chic interiors created by famed mall designer, David Rockwell of New York, and prominent architect Yuhkuchi Kawai. Exclusive brands and their flagship stores stake their retail space over seven floors through themes of Feast, Indulge, Adorn, Explore, Pamper, Relish and Muse.
Diners can choose from 13 uniquely styled dining outlets at the Feast Village on the ground floor where a range of international cuisines are available in a village layout.
The Indulge floor lures fashionistas for it has some of the world’s most elegant fashion and exclusive luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Prada, and Fendi to Anne Klein.
Adorn floor features over 70 fine luxury watch brands and several stand-alone couture boutiques including Chopard, Audemars Piguet, Korloff, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace and Gucci.
Numerous international fashion boutiques, accessories and furnishing brands are housed on the Explore level. They include Jim Thompson, Tous, Patchi, Beatrice Looi and Bang & Olufsen.
The Pamper floor is an oasis for stressed-out souls looking to relax and refresh themselves. Shoppers can spoil themselves with spa treatments, beauty makeovers, and body care and health options at Spa Indrani, Asianel Foot Reflexology, Kanebo Spa, Robin Make Up Studio and others.
Enjoy the menus served up by two specialty restaurants exclusive to Starhill Gallery on the Relish floor. Gonbei has five counters offering authentic Japanese food like teppanyaki, sushi, robatayaki, tempura and sake. Jogoya Buffet from Taiwan serves fresh Japanese and Chinese cuisine in a classy, elegant setting.
At the top floor of Starhill Gallery, and benefiting from the natural light filtering through the glass skylight there, the Muse floor celebrates the beauty of art. Art galleries here bring together the best works of national and international artists, sculptors and photographers for shoppers to browse and purchase in a relaxed atmosphere.
At the other end of Jalan Bukit Bintang behind Federal Hotel, Low Yat Plaza is a techie’s dream come true. This popular one-stop IT mall for high-tech gadgets and computer-related paraphernalia has a dedicated floor for communications technology products and another for IT gadgets. They offer a comprehensive mix and selection from a wide range of reputed brands and the latest must-haves in the market – laptops and PCs, PDAs, computer games, digital cameras, mobile phones, scanners, projectors, home theatre systems and IT peripherals.
This modern shopping complex is a convenient stop for browsing, comparing prices and products, bargaining and buying all your information and communications technology needs. Various hotspots for wireless internet service are also available in Plaza Low Yat besides the many local fashion boutiques, specialty restaurants and hip cafes.
Best Deals - Shopping Website : shoppingNsales
Source : Tourism Malaysia
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
VMY2007 a Boon for Berjaya Hotels & Resorts
TO add to its list of achievements by Berjaya Hotels & Resorts over the years, the company is starting the year with even bigger visions and plans for welcoming visitors to Berjaya properties in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2007.
The group is working closely with Tourism Malaysia and various travelling agencies to promote VMY 2007, during which about 20 million tourists from all over the world are expected to visit Malaysia.
With the expected influx of visitors this year, Berjaya Hotel & Resorts finance and marketing senior general manager Foo Toon Kee said, the group which had an occupancy rate of 60% for the financial year closing 2006, is expecting double digit growth this year.
“We expect an increase of 10 to 20% for VMY 2007 from our existing major markets, including from Southeast Asia (45%), East Asia (9%), Middle East (10%), Australia (6%) and Europe (30%),” he added.
Accommodating to the increased number of tourists, the group has improved on overall aesthetics, upgraded the capabilities of associates and created product differentiation.
Its four main properties – the fivestar Berjaya Langkawi Beach & Spa Resort, Berjaya Redang Beach Resort, Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf & Spa Resort and Berjaya Hills (formerly known as Bukit Tinggi Resort) have had their facilities upgraded.
The recent expansion and refurbishment of the Berjaya Langkawi Beach & Spa Resort cost RM28 million. Ten Junior Chalets were upgraded while 23 new units of Premier Chalets on Water and a Thai exclusive restaurant were recently built on stilts facing the sea.
WiFi internet facilities were also installed in public areas, the ballroom and eight other meeting rooms. With these additional features, the hotel boasts the biggest ballroom and the most conference facilities in Langkawi.
Berjaya Redang Beach Resort is meanwhile undergoing upgrading at a cost of RM35 million. Its existing 12 deluxe seaview chalets will be converted into six units of seaview suites, while 130 rooms are being added, to give the resort 266 rooms in total. Work is expected to be completed in April.
Refurbishment is also being carried out at Berjaya Tioman Beach, Golf & Spa Resort on specific rooms and suites.
Meanwhile, the group’s latestaddition, Berjaya Hills, located 45 minutes away from KL, is promising to provide a great vacation escapade.
To boost its French themed boutique spa hotel, the Chateau Spa Resort will be modelled after an 18th century medieval castle.“The key feature would be the spa treatments, French fine-dining restaurant, four multi-purpose function rooms and a pillar-less conventional hall that can accommodate 1,000 guests with six breakup rooms. Total investment for this getaway was RM20 million,” Foo said.
“We have also revamped our website to upgrade its user-friendly features for the benefit of consumers and travel trade members. Dynamic pricing strategies have been employed in the Ebusiness division to increase bookings and implement revenue management.
This encourages customers to obtain the best rates by booking early, while capitalising on revenues during low seasons,” Foo said.
“An estimated 5% - 8% of the total revenue is allocated for our advertising and promotional efforts, which includes a new advertising campaign, media relations and event management,” he said
Meanwhile, Berjaya Hotels & Resorts vicepresident (sales and marketing) Lynn Oh, said the company’s strength is in having various properties under its wing, as it consolidates Berjaya’s position as a household brand for Malaysia.
“Working with Berjaya Air, we have designed special packages for overseas customers. There is the 5D/4N Berjaya Special, targeted for the regional market while the 8D/7N
Berjaya Exclusive is targeted for the long-haul market.
Flower Power Rules the Streets
THERE were mermaids with flowers in their hair and on their tails, fairies wore crowns of petals while queens and princes were bedecked in a multitude of floral garlands and bouquets in every shade imaginable.
And we’re not talking about a scene from Alice In Wonderland, though visitors to Kuala Lumpur may have thought just that.
 |
Yellow fever: One of the participants looking striking swathed in chrysanthemums. |
Almost 1,000 people from all walks of life participated in the florathon, which was the opener for the annual florafest.
The 3km run, which kicked off at Dataran Merdeka, took participants on a circuit that included scenic areas of Kuala Lumpur city like Jalan Raja, Jalan Parlimen, Jalan Cenderawasih.
The categories offered Men, Junior Men, Women, Junior Women, Diplomatic Corps Men, Diplomatic Corps Women, tourists and a team category which saw the participation of corporate companies, hotels, restaurants, banks and government organisations.
 |
Family fun: (From left) Azman,12, Ida Ibrahim, Irissa, 5, and Adriana participating in the Florathon. |
It was a delight to watch the flower fairies from Quality Hotel City Centre who were garbed in Malaysian flowers, while the pretty mermaids from Aquaria KLCC created quite a buzz with the public and press photographers.
Team participation included companies from Ambank, Elang Wah Sdn Bhd, Tourism Ministry, Istana Budaya and the Kuala Lumpur Tourist Association.
 |
Big crowd: About 1,000 people took part in the event. |
“Much like a costume party, it encourages people to dress their best and run for fun,” he said.
“It’s an exciting event and you can tell from the costumes that people have put in a lot of effort, time and money into this,” he said.
Apart from the florathon, there was also a special race called the Bunga Raya Waiter’s Race, which required participants to carry a tray of mocktails as they ran in their best floral costumes.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
MasterCard programme for Visit Malaysia Year
MasterCard Worldwide unveiled yesterday its MasterCard Visit Malaysia Year 2007 Privileges Programme, the company's bid to encourage more foreigners to visit Malaysia.
The programme includes initiatives such as the Privileges Programme booklet and the Bank Islam Tourist Friend MasterCard Unembossed Prepaid Card.
Both are aimed at providing exclusive benefits and privileges to MasterCard customers.
MasterCard Worldwide vice-president and senior country manager, Malaysia and Brunei, Jim Cheah said that about 200,000 copies of the booklet had been distributed to all 41 Tourism Malaysia offices worldwide and other “entry points.”
“This is going to be a special year for all of us,” Cheah said, referring to the twin celebration of the country's 50th year of independence and the Visit Malaysia Year.
He also said MasterCard would be the official card for Malaysia's mega sales carnival and year-end sales.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Tourism Malaysia issue Stop Print to Malaysia Tourist Pages 2007
KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry has directed the publishers of the Malaysia Tourist Pages 2007 to stop printing the remaining copies of the guidebook as it contains suggestive advertisements.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said immediately after getting information that the guidebook contained such advertisements, the printers were ordered to stop work.
He said only 100 copies were printed for the launch on Tuesday. They were only distributed to members of the press and invited guests at the function.
“We are supposed to print 140,000 copies to be distributed free nationwide and worldwide in the first quarter of the year.
“We will reprint the guidebook, minus the advertisements,'' he said when contacted yesterday.
The directory in the Yellow Pages section had four full colour advertisements that offered professional and traditional massages.
One of the advertisements stated that the VIP professional massage for foreigners was available 24 hours in Genting Highlands, Bukit Tinggi, Port Dickson and the Klang Valley, while another was about a woman “At your Door within minutes – call anytime”.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
16 Hotel Lobbies vying to be Prettiest in Klang Valley
KUALA LUMPUR: The lobbies of 16 hotels in the Klang Valley and Putrajaya are decked in colourful flowers as they vie for the RM10,000 prize in the Hotel Lobby Floral contest being held in conjunction with Flora Fest 2007.
Judges inspected the hotels on Wednesday and yesterday. The results will be announced tomorrow.
Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, one of the hotels taking part in the contest, based its decorations on Malaysia’s multi-racial make-up.
“Our hotel’s entry is themed 'Colours of Hospitality', where different coloured flowers represent the various races,” the hotel’s communications area director Rosemarie Wee said, adding that the decorations took three weeks.
 |
Colourful design: Dr Wee (middle), Shangri-La resident manager Daniele Vastolo (right) and Wee looking at one of the floral decorations at the hotel on Thursday. |
Tourism Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Victor Wee launched the hotel's entry yesterday.
Eastin Hotel, another participant, chose to base its decorations on the fauna and flora of Sabah and Sarawak.
Marketing and communications manager Jade Tan said the two states were rich in unique flowers and wildlife, which included many species of butterflies and hornbills.
“We wanted to introduce visitors to the beauty of nature there.”
The Eastin decorations took two days to put together.
Members of the public have been urged to use public transport to the Floral Parade at Persiaran Perdana in Putrajaya tomorrow.
Rapid KL and Nadiputra buses link the Putrajaya Sentral transport hub with the venue.
Putrajaya Sentral can be reached via KLIA Transit high-speed train and Rapid KL buses from Kuala Lumpur, Serdang, Bandar Utama and KL International Airport.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Genting's RM1.00 Per Room Package
24 to 31 January 2007
Genting First World Hotel
888 Deals RM1.00 Per Room
Enjoy our special Post-Holiday Packages with rooms at the World's Largest Hotel, First World Hotel, going for just RM1!
With the year end rush over, you can now spend time with your friends and loved ones away from the crowd and queues.
All you need to do is to purchase either one of the three value-for-money packages online
(each worth RM48.88 / 4,888 WorldCard Points / 18.88 Genting Points),
and the room stay will be yours at the irresistible rate of RM1/ 100 WorldCard Points / 1 Genting Point.
So, book online now for the holiday you deserve, at the price you deserve.
(Handling fee of RM10.00 will be charged for EACH package purchased via phone).
Source : shoppingNsales
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Corus Hotel Exclusive Value
24 January to 28 February 2007
Corus Hotel Exclusive Value
Only RM175 nett
Located at the very heart of Kuala Lumpur's newest commercial, shopping and entertainment centre, Corus hotel Kuala Lumpur is only a five minute walk from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Source : shoppingNsales
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
A Famosa Resort Prosperity Package
8 to 28 January 2007
A Famosa Resort Prosperity Package
NOW from RM98
2 Days / 1 Night - Stay Meal Fun
Set Breakfast
Animal World Safari
Carnival
*Stay Period : 17 to 25 February 2007*
A Famosa Resort
Melaka
Tel : 603 2781 8888
Source : shoppingNsales
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Consider Disabled Tourists Too
While Malaysia promotes itself as a tourist destination, it should also provide amenities for disabled tourists.
MALAYSIANS greeted the New Year with greater expectations than usual as it marked the very important start of Visit Malaysia Year (VMY).
The national tourism campaign for 2007 is estimated to bring in an extra five million visitors from overseas in addition to the 15 million foreigners who come into Malaysia each year. What makes this VMY even more special is that it coincides with our nation’s 50th anniversary as a sovereign nation.
Among the tourists who will be visiting Malaysia will inevitably be people with disabilities and their families. How will travel and accessibility into buildings and on the streets affect them? I posed this question to Antony Leopold last week.
Leopold, 55, has more than 15 years’ experience in the travel industry and now runs his own travel agency with his wife in Kuala Lumpur. Leopold contracted poliomyelitis on both legs when he was a child. Now the father of three gets around with crutches or in a wheelchair, when necessary.
“First, it must be pointed out that it isn’t easy for disabled persons to travel not only in Malaysia but also in many parts of the world,” said Leopold, adding that “some countries go all out to provide facilities for handicapped travellers.
“Travelling in developing countries in especially a problem, and it is advisable for disabled people travelling in such countries to travel with an able-bodied companion. Malaysia is no different.”
Leopold went on to point out the many hazards that blind and wheelchair-using tourists have to look out for in cities and towns: improper curb cuts, uneven or suddenly-narrowing pavements with lamp posts and trees, and indiscriminately-placed rubbish bins.
“Even overcrowded pavements can pose a serious problem for blind people as pedestrians can bump into them,” explained Leopold.
“The lack of ramps for wheelchairs and disabled-friendly restrooms make a number of attractions difficult, if not impossible, for the disabled traveller to visit.
“Unlike in Western countries, many restaurants here and even hotels rarely provide wheelchair ramps and so having some sort of assistance would be a necessity for the handicapped tourist.
“The same can be said for public transport like trains and buses, so visitors in wheelchairs have little choice but to resort to taxis,” Leopold said, adding that “even then, some cabbies might not want to take wheelchairs or will charge extra for them.”
Malaysia is famous for her exotic islands and beaches, which are among the most popular leisure destinations in Asia.
According to Leopold, although there are hotels that offer handicapped-friendly accommodation and facilities, some of the best beaches and places of interest are hardly accessible or restricted for wheelchair users.
Island-hopping or boat-riding may be made available to the disabled but Leopold advises a certain amount of caution as it often requires physical assistance by the operators.
“This may not be advisable for some disabled people especially when the helper is unfamiliar or not trained to help the handicapped,” Leopold pointed out.
Despite the problems faced by disabled tourists, Leopold is optimistic and wants to do something to make visiting Malaysia easier for tourists and Malaysians with disabilities.
He is currently working on introducing travel assistance for the disabled and the elderly under a project called “Travel Assist”.
The project will help disabled tourists to identify suitable accommodation, facilities and transportation. It will also draw up special itineraries, designed with the interests, abilities and budget of the disabled and special groups in mind.
Leopold plans to achieve this objective by working with the authorities and partners in the industry, both in and outside Malaysia.
In addition, he would like to urge local authorities to start thinking along the same lines by coming up with careful planning of their own.
“There are presently several places where the disabled can go to but some attractions and places of importance need further improvements to accommodate them,” said Leopold.
“As for rooms or facilities for the handicapped, most of them can presently be found only in luxury hotels and shopping complexes. Leisure activities for the disabled hardly exist.
“Transportation for the wheelchair-bound traveller currently involves regular vehicles, with able-bodied helpers lifting a disabled person on or off a vehicle and into a wheelchair.”
Leopold pointed out that, by comparison, disabled visitors to neighbouring Thailand have plenty of opportunities available to them. These include activities such as elephant-trekking, scuba-diving, sailing, and visiting temples and palaces.
“It is important to note that these are made possible by the foresight and assistance of the authorities and dedicated operators in designing their facilities and services to accommodate the needs and abilities of special group travellers,” said Leopold.
With VMY now fully underway, Malaysia should do likewise, too, he concluded.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
