VMY boosts number of arrivals

THE Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2007 campaign was considered successful with 20.8 million tourist arriving last year compared with 17.5 million in 2006, a 19.5% increase in arrivals.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the Govern­ment spent RM250mil on the campaign, of which RM80mil alone was for promotions.

Tourism income last year was RM46bil which was a 27% increase compared with RM36.2bil in 2006, adding that tourists stayed longer in hotels with the average being 6.3 nights compared with 6.2 in 2006.

Azalina was answering a question by Khalid Abdul Samad (PAS – Shah Alam), who asked why only 21 million tourists visited Malaysia last year compared with 92 million visiting Thailand.

In a supplementary question, Khairy Jamaluddin (BN – Rembau) said one reason Malaysia lost out to Thailand in tourist arrivals last year was because there were 220 million flights into Thailand against 150,000 into Malaysia.

He asked the Government’s strategy to increase international direct flights into Malaysia.

Azalina noted that Malaysia Airlines had stopped direct flights from London to Langkawi and to Penang, while flights from London to Kuala Lumpur had been reduced from twice daily to once.

This resulted in connectivity problems and tourists would transit in Bangkok or Singapore, giving them an advantage, she said.

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

Tourist arrivals in Malacca up by 1.1m

The week-long ‘Festa San Juang and Festa San Pedro 2007’ celebrations at the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca.

More than 5.5 million tourists entered the state last year, an increase of 1.1 million from the previous year.

Of the total, 1.2 million were foreigners, representing an increase of 10 per cent from the year before. June, August and November saw the highest number of tourists last year, with over 500,000 recorded in each of the months.

This was largely thanks to the Ikan Bakar Carnival, Festa San Juang and Festa San Pedro (in June), the Kite Flying Festival, Merdeka celebrations (in August) and the school holidays (in November).

As such, Visit Malaysia Year 2007 is considered a success for the state, which is touted by the state government as the place "where it all began" with the tagline "Visit Historic Malacca Means Visit Malaysia". There are plans to turn the city into the country's foremost tourism destination by 2010.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said recently that the state had focused mostly on encouraging domestic tourism.
He said the state's efforts to explore "emerging markets" such as Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, India, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea had paid off handsomely.

"From a small state which saw tourist arrivals of about 1.7 million in 1999, we have managed to triple the figure to over 5.5 million, last year.

"Our tagline has worked miracles. I do not see any reason why the number of tourists arriving in the state should decrease in the future.

"In fact, we are moving forward in terms of tourism with programmes such as the Melaka River Festival, Melaka International Regatta, Melaka International Air Carnival, Melaka International Tourism Show and One District One Industry Showcase."

The largest number of tourist arrivals in Malacca was from Southeast Asia, followed by West Asia, which saw an increase of over 10,000 tourists last year compared to the previous year, and Europe which had an increase of over 10 per cent.

Besides culture, history and heritage, Ali said, the healthcare industry was another strong selling point for the historic city.

"Between 2001 and 2006, the number of people coming to Malacca to get medical attention increased by 60 per cent to 436,200."

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

City tourism badly hit by Demonstrations

recent street demonstrations here have badly hit city tourism.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim said tour operators informed him that many tourists had either cancelled or cut short their tours due to the demonstrations.

“Many of these tourists were from China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

“It was quite bad from the end of November to early December, but the situation has stabilised slightly now,” he told the press after opening the Kuan Yin Temple in Sungai Buloh near here yesterday.

However, he said only tourism in the city was affected while “the other states are fine.”

He added that up to September, 16 million tourists visited the country. Malaysia is targeting 21.5 million tourist arrivals for the Visit Malaysia 2007, which has been extended to Aug 31 next year.

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

VM2008 promotion to attract Chinese tourists

Local tourism bureaus and tour operators in eastern China have been well informed of the extension of Visit Malaysia Year to next year.

Promotional activities and tour packages for VM2008 are being rolled out in Shanghai and Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, starting with a winter series promotion.

“We have been doing courtesy calls and informing our counterparts especially the provincial tourism bureaus that the campaign has been extended to August next year,” tourism consul in Shanghai Edzuar Zar Ayob said after launching the winter promotion at a hotel here on Tuesday.

“There will be a lot of activities to be initiated by our Shanghai office and top officials. We want to impart such information to the bureaus, which in turn tell tour operators under their purview.”

The promotion, priced between 3,380 (RM1,520) and 5,980 yuan (RM2,680), offers Chinese tourists a five-day-four-night escape at resorts in Tanjung Jara, Langkawi, Pangkor, Tioman and Pantai Dalit with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur.

Tourism Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia Airlines and 11 local travel agencies to come up with tailor-made tour packages at discounted rates based on a list of resorts and hotels.

The promotion targets Chinese executives and free-and-easy travellers aged between 20 and 40.

Tourism Malaysia expects to see 10% more tourist arrivals from China throughout the three-month promotion in view that winter is usually a good time for the Chinese to travel.

Edzuar said VM2007 was a campaign driven by the 50 major events held throughout the year but next year Tourism Malaysia would not only promote such events but also specific destinations.

“This allows tourists not only to enjoy the facilities at the resorts and surrounding areas but also to celebrate together in the event,” he added.

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

Mini travel guide of top 10 attractions from Olympus

Manyin (left) and Tan viewing a mock-up of the Olympus mini-travel guide during the launch in Kuching on Tuesday.

Olympus (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd unveiled yesterday a mini-travel guide to 10 of Malaysia’s top attractions as its contribution to Visit Malaysia Year.

The 22-page guide, Discover Malaysia’s Top 10 Places, features natural and architectural wonders including the Petronas Twin Towers, Putrajaya, Langkawi and Gunung Kinabalu, captured on film by photographer Kim Teoh.

State Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Michael Manyin launched the guide.

Olympus managing director Tan Tick Boon said Sarawak was the only state to have two attractions listed in the guide, the Bako National Park and the world heritage site of Mulu National Park.

Some 25,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to Olympus dealers nationwide to be handed out to customers while another 5,000 copies will be included in specialist trade magazines on photography and electronic gadgets.

“We also hope to extend copies of the guide to the Sarawak Tourism Board’s booth at the Kuching International Airport to be distributed to local and foreign visitors,” Tan added.

He also announced that Olympus would introduce a new camera that incorporated Bahasa Malaysia in the instruction manual and user interface.

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

Tourism Malaysia switches VMY2007 Campaign Focus

TOURISM Malaysia plans to extend its Visit Malaysia Year until 2008 but will tweak the campaign to be more destination-centric instead of being event focused as it now is.

Director-general, Datuk Mirza Muhammad Taiyab, said this shift to a destination-based promotional campaign would enable tourists to learn about more destinations and what each could offer.

He added: "An event-based campaign does not address what a tourist can do once the event is over."

The theme of Visit Malaysia Year is "One Golden Celebration", in line with the country's 50th year of Independence.

Mr Mirza hoped the destination-based marketing campaign would see a better distribution of tourists throughout all the key arrival points.

Tourist arrivals are targeted at 20.1 million with the aim of increasing the figure by at least four per cent next year.


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

VMY 2007 To Be Extended To Aug 31 Next Year, Says Tengku Adnan

The Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2007 will be extended to Aug 31 next year under the "One Golden Celebration" campaign, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today.

He said this was to capitalise on the country's 50th Merdeka celebrations starting Aug 31 which should be a year-long affair.

More major events would also be organised during that period, he said.

"I have mentioned this to the Cabinet a few months ago but have yet to officially propose it," he told reporters after opening the Food and Hotel Malaysia 2007 exhibition here.

On the reported shortage of hotel rooms in Pahang, Langkawi, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur, he said that at a meeting earlier today, key industry players had agreed to encourage new players to build more hotels to provide a long-term solution to the problem.

Other measures include postponing some major events.

"One of them is the Malaysian International Space Adventure. We're trying to push it to the end of the year or early next year to enable more visitors to come in," he said.

Meanwhile, Tengku Adnan urged budget hotel operators to install safety features such as emergency exits at their premises and also register their businesses with the authorities.

"There're about 3,000 unlicensed budget hotels nationwide. We're working to get them registered with the local councils. We can't be harsh on them because they also provide rooms for tourists," he said when asked to comment on a recent fire at a travel lodge here.


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

Whopping RM22.4 Bln Tourist Ringgit Pours In by Foreign Tourists

A whopping RM22.4 billion! That was the amount of money that foreign tourists spent in this country in the first six months of this year, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said today.

He said 10.7 million visitors came to Malaysia during the period, and each spent an average of RM2,100 (US$600).

"This is within the range of our target of getting them to spend RM45.5 billion (US$13 billion) during Visit Malaysia Year (VMY 2007)," he told reporters after opening the Food and Hotel Malaysia 2007 exhibition here.

Tengku Adnan said VMY 2007 would be extended to Aug 31 next year under a campaign known as "One Golden Celebration", to capitalise on the country's 50th Merdeka celebrations starting Aug 31.

On the reported shortage of hotel rooms in Pahang, Langkawi, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur, he said that at a meeting earlier today key industry players agreed to encourage more new players to build hotels as a long-term solution to the problem. Other steps included postponing some major events.

"One of them is the Malaysian International Space Adventure (Misa). We are trying to push it to the end of the year or early next year," he said.

Meanwhile, Tengku Adnan urged budget hotel operators to install safety features such as emergency exits in their premises and to register their business.

"There are about 3,000 unlicensed budget hotels nationwide. We are working to get them registered with the local councils. We can't be harsh on them because they are also providing rooms for the tourists," he said when asked to comment on a recent fire at a travel lodge here.

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

Not Enough Rooms in KL for VMY2007

The influx of tourist arrivals for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2007 is more than what the Government bargained for and is resulting in a shortage of hotel rooms.

This has prompted the Tourism Ministry to come up with measures to remedy the situation.

Some of the measures discussed at the Tourism Malaysia board meeting on Thursday included delaying or spacing out activities as well as extending the VMY 2007 into next year.

“We discussed that some events be spaced out to prevent a sudden influx of visitors coming, such as the Malaysian International Aerospace Adventure, which will probably be held at the end of the year and carry through to next year,” said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor at the launch of the Ninth Food & Hotels Malaysia 2007 exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Thursday.

“I also mentioned to the Cabinet a few months ago – but have not made an official proposal – about extending the Visit Malaysia Year campaign to Aug 31, 2008, because we will still be celebrating our 50th independence until then.”

Tengku Adnan said the latest statistics showed some 10.7 million tourist arrivals as of June, and that room shortage problem has been acute in Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Pahang and Sabah.

“I am worried that tourist arrivals may reach 24 million!” he said, when asked if he was confident of VMY 2007 achieving its target.

He said the ministry had already urged tour operators and hotels to advise walk-in guests to stay at hotels in Bangi, Nilai, Seremban and Putrajaya, as “even Shah Alam is packed.”

The minister also called on industry players to build more hotels or extend rooms to counter the shortage, which was also caused by visitors who overextend their stay in the country.

He added that despite the influx in tourist arrivals, the ministry was not satisfied with tourist spending.

“Their expenditure is not as good compared to the same period last year, because of the visitors from Asean countries whose average expenditure is lower than tourists from the Middle East and other countries,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ministry is encouraging local councils to relax their regulations in licensing budget hotels and travel lodges.

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

How can we make our Tourists feel at Home during VMY2007

IN TWO weeks, we will be celebrating 50 years of independence, marking all our successes as a nation with a multi-racial population that's able to live in peace and harmony amidst all the terror and tension in the world. Whatever our shortcomings, we should mark this endeavour with pride.

Integrity: Vendors should be honest and offer tourists a fair deal instead of trying to overcharge them.

We will be welcoming visitors from all over the world to celebrate with us. My spouse has organised his 35th class reunion, to be held in Langkawi, which will be attended by over 30 doctors and their families.

They will also see what Malaysia has in store for visitors. As hosts, we must know what to do and do it well. It all boils down to hospitality and good manners.

For many visitors, it will be the first time they’re visiting our country, and first impressions are important.

What will it take for all Malaysians to be excellent hosts? Here are some tips for those who will be in the “eye of the visitor”:

All officers in the Immigration Department should offer a welcoming smile and a warm greeting. As visitors, people are often nervous around these officers; many have horror stories to tell about their experiences. So imagine their surprise if our officers were to extend them basic courtesies.

Customs officers have to do their duty and it can be done without frightening the visitors off. Visitors and tourists should be treated with respect and not as potential criminals.

Cab drivers should not take tourists on unwarranted “scenic tours”. Curb your greed and be fair to the visitors. Use your meters or stick to the apportioned fare. Be a self-appointed guide and talk about the lovely sights they can see in Malaysia.

Hoteliers should know what customer service and satisfaction are all about. Roll out the red carpet. Do more than what the visitors expect. Surprise them with your hospitality. Do Malaysia proud. Not everything is about money; goodwill can neither be bought nor sold. Simple things can make a difference.

If you have a visitor who has not made a reservation, take the trouble to find him a place to stay at another hotel, at least, instead of telling him that your hotel is fully booked and turning him away. Imagine what the grateful guest will tell his friends back home!

Bus/ taxi/ limousine drivers are responsible for driving people all over the country. Our highways are not F1 circuits, so please drive carefully. People’s lives are in your hands; they trust you to take them to their destination safely. “Better late than never”, as the adage goes.

Food vendors should practise “quality control”. Take pride in what you dish out to your customers. Do you taste the food you serve? Can you stomach what you cook? The food you sell should be fresh, hygienically-prepared and served in a clean environment so that no one has to spend a night in the hospital. Do not compromise on quality and hygiene.

Shopkeepers should be honest. The “buyer beware” line of thought is common but there is also something called “trust”. To some degree, the buyer trusts you to be fair in a deal. Do unto others what you would have others do unto you.

Now is the time for all Malaysians to show the world who we really are – courteous, helpful, generous of spirit and hospitable. Extend hospitality when the need arises. Allow your visitors the opportunity to see the best of our nation.

Consider the little courtesies that make a difference: Give up your place in the queue when you see a visitor standing behind you; explain the types of food on the menu if a visitor is puzzled or help him if he is struggling to place an order; give them directions if they look lost.

As hosts, Malaysians should make our visitors feel that they have made a good choice by coming here.

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

Kelantan Hoteliers see red over power outages

THE Kelantan chapter of the Malaysian Hoteliers Association is unhappy over four power outages since May in several parts of the state.

Hitting out at Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) for the power failures between 3pm and 5pm, its president N. Subramaniam said it had affected power distribution to the hotels.

“Despite various complaints, the problem still persists,” he told a press conference.

He said he was made to understand that TNB was facing an acute shortage of transformers in the area.

TNB needed to be cautious in power supply as this was Visit Malaysia 2007, he said.

“Some of our customers have demanded a refund when their rooms did not have electricity,” Subramaniam said.

He said not all hotels in Kelantan had the funds to install a back-up generator to deal with the outages.

“Some hotels have to scrap events due to the problem,” he said.

To make matters worse, two wooden chalets in Kota Baru caught fire when a power re-supply caused a short circuit, he said.

A state TNB spokesman said they would investigate the claims made by the association.

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

‘Malaysia Truly Asia’ bags three gold awards

Tourism Malaysia’s Malaysia: Truly Asia international campaign won three gold awards at the recent PATA Gold Awards 2007 marketing media category for broadcast, print and website.

“Indeed the Malaysia: Truly Asia campaign has been an enduring brand since its creation in 2000,” said Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg.

“Not only has it created worldwide recognition for Malaysia, it has also attracted more visitors to the country. And these three gold awards are testimony to our success,” he said.

Open to both PATA and non-PATA members, this year’s competition attracted a record 339 entries from 132 travel and tourism organisations.

Over eight years, the campaign has won more than 25 awards worldwide including the region’s Media Magazine’s Marketing Effectiveness Award last year.

Related Links

VMY2007 VIDEOS
1. One Golden Celebration
2. Visit Malaysia Year 2007 Video - Celebrating 50 Years of Nationhood
3. Promotional Videos for Visit Malaysia Year 2007
4.Malaysia Truly Asia 2007 - Europe


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

MAS-Matta VMY And Independence Golf Challenge

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) are jointly organising a 14-circuit amateur golf tournament in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2007 and the country's 50th independence anniversary beginning Aug 23.

The tournament, which will be teed off at the Staffield Golf and Country Club in Negeri Sembilan, is open to all amateur golfers in Malaysia and abroad with a valid handicap of USGA 24 and below for men and handicap 36 for women.

The grand final of the tournament will be held at the IOI Palm Garden Golf Club course in Putrajaya on Dec 6.

"As the national flag carrier, MAS has always collaborated with related agencies to promote inbound tourism to Malaysia. This joint initiative is in line with Tourism Malaysia's efforts in promoting golf in the sports tourism agenda," MAS' commercial director Datuk Rashid Khan told a press conference at the MAS Academy in Kelana Jaya here today.

Also present was Matta's deputy president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun.

Rashid said the golf tournament was expected to foster and enhance networking, goodwill and fellowship among all in the travel trade and tourism industry.

"MAS is offering a number of Golden Holiday packages to encourage greater participation from local and foreign golfers," he added.

The tournament is expected to attract about 1,500 participants, with about 100 to 120 participants in each circuit.

In order to attract participation, MAS is working on a special website for the tournament, www.masmattagolf.com.my which will be launched this Saturday.

The MAS golf package offered for the tournament consists of a minimum three-day/two-night hotel accommodation and daily breakfast at selected four or five-star hotels in 13 local destinations with an option to extend the stay. It is valid from Aug 20 to Dec 31.

The package includes a return economy class flight from Kuala Lumpur to the respective states except Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka.

Bookings for the package have to be made at MAS offices worldwide, its appointed agents or by calling the MAS Call Centre at 1-300-88-3000, at least 20 days before departure.

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

Tourism Ministry aims to boost enforcement

The Tourism Ministry is seeking the Public Services Department’s (PSD) approval for more enforcement officers to check the problem of illegal tour buses and guides.

Its minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said once the approval was given, the ministry would be able to enhance its enforcement division.

“We’ll also work together with other agencies including the Road Transport Department and the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board on this matter,” he said after holding a dialogue with tourism players here last Friday.

Tengku Adnan said they had received the approval of PSD to reorganise of the ministry.

“We will be getting more staff in the revamp and have proposed to have more enforcement officers,” he said.

On illegal tour guides, he said the problem was partly caused by tour operators hiring guides at their own whim instead of going through tour guide associations to get licensed guides.

“We will discuss at ministry level on how best to facilitate the matter as we do not want to frustrate people in the industry,” he said.

Tengku Adnan arrived here on Thursday and was on a working trip after visiting Pontianak, Indonesia.

He met tour operators, hoteliers and media in Pontianak to brief them on Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

The Indonesian market is the third biggest contributor to tourist arrivals in Malaysia after Singapore and Thailand.

Last year 1.2 millon Indonesians visited the country, an increase of 26.4% from the previous year, while 375,570 have come in the first three months of this year.

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

MAS offers discounts of up to 75% on international destinations

About 300,000 cheap tickets for international destinations, including RM199 one-way to Hong Kong, have gone on sale exclusively on Malaysia Airlines' (MAS) website.

The nine-day promotion until Aug 15 will offer discounts of up to 75% on all MAS' international destinations except Australia and North and South America.

However, travellers would need to plan their trips early as the tickets are only for travel from Jan 16 to May 22 next year.

For destinations in Asean countries, fares start from RM29 to Medan; RM99 to Phnom Penh, Phuket, Cebu and Surabaya; RM199 to Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta and Bandar Seri Begawan; and RM159 to Bangkok.

Orient destination fares begin from as low as RM199 to Kunming and Hong Kong; RM299 to Xiamen; RM399 to Guangzhou; RM449 to Shanghai; and RM529 to Beijing.

As for destinations in North Asia, customers get to enjoy low fares starting from RM299 to Kaohsiung and RM499 to Tokyo, Osaka and Taipei.

Fares to the Indian sub-continent start from RM299 to Dhaka; RM399 to Chennai and Colombo; and RM459 for flights to Hyderabad and Bangalore.

For European destinations, fares start from RM699 to London, Paris, Frankfurt and Rome, while fares for destinations in the Middle East and South Africa start from RM699 to Dubai and Beirut, and RM1,129 to Johannesburg.

A check on the website found that there were also offers for round-trip tickets to these destinations.

MAS commercial director Datuk Rashid Khan said the offers were to encourage more people to book online (www.malaysiaairlines.com).

“As the offers cover a five-month travel period next year, customers are invited to plan their travel well in advance now and purchase their tickets,” he said in a statement.

In support of Visit Malaysia 2007, Rashid said the Malaysia Airlines World Online Celebration was also offering attractive inbound fares to Kuala Lumpur from various Asean countries.

All promotional airfares are for economy class travel on MAS and exclude fuel surcharge and other applicable surcharges. Children enjoy a 15% discount while infants are charged only 10% of the adult fares.

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

Lost World of Tambun Theme Park eyes more Tourists

The Lost world of Tambun theme park in Sunway City, Ipoh, expects to receive more foreign tourists next year, especially Singaporeans, once the Ipoh-Rawang double-tracking railway is operational.

Its general manager Calvin Ho said the railway would not only boost the number of tourists visiting the park but also the entire city in general.

“The train ride itself can be marketed as a tourism product and be included as part of tourism packages,” he told reporters after a familiarisation tour of the park for over 30 Singaporean travel agents recently.

Ho said foreigners on a trip across the country would love to include a train ride in their holiday plans as “trains offer a nostalgic experience”.

Relaxing trip:Travel agents from Singapore enjoying a train ride around the Lost World of Tambun waterpark.

“It is so much more different from taking a bus, flying or driving,” he said.

The RM4bil 180km railway project is expected to be completed by Dec 31 and operational by early next year.

Ho said they targeted 350,000 tourists to visit the Lost World of Tambun this year, which would be 50,000 more than last year’s.

“Next year, with all the added developments to our park, our number of visitors will definitely grow,” said Ho.

Amongst the development, he said, was the construction of a five-star RM50mil Hot Springs Spa Resort to be ready next December. Other plans include a 50-room karaoke lounge, seafood restaurant and extreme sports park to be ready this December.

During the familiarisation tour, the travel agents were taken on a three-day two- night tour of tourist hotspots in Ipoh, like Gua Tempurung and the famous pomelo farms.

At the Lost World of Tambun, they were taken on a train ride around the park to see attractions like its Tiger Valley, Kepura Cave, Musical Fountain, Waterfall Beach Garden, Tambun Hot Springs, water slides and dry rides.

The tour was a joint effort between the park and Tourism Malaysia Perak in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2007.

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

Need to Overhaul Penang's Tourism Industry

PENANG’S tourism industry needs a major overhaul to strike a balance between the island and Seberang Prai.

Association of Tourism Attractions (ATAP) Penang chairman Eddy Low said Seberang Prai could ideally be developed as an important domestic tourist attraction.

“Except for the Penang Bird Park and a few homestay programmes, Seberang Prai does not have any other tourism products of international standard.

“So, we have to make use of the existing recreational parks and delectable hawker food to draw the local crowd,” he said yesterday.

On Wednesday, several state assemblymen in Seberang Prai expressed disappointment that few tourists visited the mainland despite this year being Visit Malaysia 2007.

They cited lack of tourism promotions in Seberang Prai for the poor response.

Low said the tourism industry in Seberang Prai was not as big as that on the island as it lacked investment confidence from the private sector.

“The state government should address this problem by adding value to the existing tourism products in Seberang Prai.

“For example, non-pollutant water sports activities should be offered at the Mengkuang Dam.

“Tourists in the Mengkuang Titi homestay programme too should be given a hands-on experience to learn and participate in the local cultural and economic activities there,” he said.

Low said Penang needed to shift towards experiential tourism, where tourists could experience taking part in its cultural activities.

“Tourism now is no longer the supply of product, package or service, but the supply of experience,” he said.

Low said there was a need to train taxi drivers and others in the tourism industry to be knowledgeable about Penang’s rich heritage so that they could provide accurate information to tourists.

Bukit Mertajam Umno division chief Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said the lack of tourism promotions in Seberang Prai did not augur well for local businessmen.

“How are Seberang Prai residents going to benefit pwhen there are hardly any efforts to attract tourists to the mainland?

“Seberang Prai is still part of Penang. There are many historical sites, eco-parks and agro-based activities that can be promoted to tourists,” he said.

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

Three million visit Malacca in first half

Up to June this year, the state recorded some three million tourists – half the targeted number.

Malacca Tourism, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Rahaman Abdul Karim said he was confident the target, set by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, would be met by the end of Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

“From August until the end of the year we are expecting an increase in tourists to our historical city.

“It is the holiday season and these are the months when people will take leave and come to Malaysia for holidays,” said Abdul Rahaman after launching the week-long Southern Region Domestic Sales Mission 2007 here on Thursday.

The mission was started by Tourism Malaysia in Malacca to promote tourism in the state and gather all the available travel agencies in the country under one roof to sell holiday packages and form partnerships with other travel agencies.

With 213 participants from all the states, it was the biggest tourism sales mission ever held in Malaysia.

There were nine participants from Pekan Baru and Riau, Indonesia, as well.

Source : STAR

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

Penang Music fest to draw 15,000

At least 15,000 people will gather at the World Musical Festival in Taman Kuari from July 20 to 22.

Steps would be taken to ensure smooth traffic flow on the road leading to the venue, state tourism chief Teng Chang Yeow said after inspecting the site yesterday.

“The road to Taman Kuari will be fully decorated by the end of next week. This festival is one of the main events held in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2007,” he said.

The festival will feature 13 international bands from the Solomon Islands, the United States, Afghanistan, Italy, South Africa, Russia, Peru, Britain, Burkina Faso and other countries.

Scenic venue: A photo showing Taman Kuari in Penang, the venue for the World Musical Festival to be held from July 20 to 22. The road to the venue will be fully decorated by the end of next week.

Teng said a series of promotional activities had been held in Koh Samui and Phuket to draw foreign tourists.

Jointly organised by the Tourism Ministry, Tourism Malaysia and the Penang Tourism Action Council (PTAC), it will showcase cultural, community and folk-inspired music with strong ethnic edge and identity.

Tickets are priced at RM40 for adults and RM10 for children. For details, contact the Penang Tourism Action Council at 04-262 0202 or visit www.tourismpenang.gov.my.

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

One World Hotel targets 65% occupancy by year-end

Bandar Utama City Corp Sdn Bhd’s maiden hotel development, the RM240 million 5-star One World Hotel, hopes to achieve an occupancy level of 65% by year-end.

Its general manager, Ho Hoy Sum, says the 20-storey hotel, which opened for business last Sunday, will be runningseveral promotions towards this end.

The hotel is locally managed by the owners. It has tied up with WorldHotels Deluxe Collections Group, a leadingEuropean-based hotel group for more than 500 independent hotels and regional hotel brands, to market it overseas.

“As we open during Visit Malaysia Year [VMY] 2007 as well as the summer months, we should be able to capture some of the Middle East leisure business, corporate free individual travellers and the MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions] market segment,” Ho tells theSun.

In conjunction with VMY 2007’s activities such as Malaysia International Fireworks Competition (Aug 15-30) and the August school holidays, the hotel hopes to roll out several other packages to attract more business.

It has also been taking part in various international trade shows in the region. “Our team has been to Singapore, Melbourne, Dubai, Langkawi, China and Hong Kong, We will be in twoother shows in Bali and London next,” he says. “We will work closely with travel agents to bring in thevolume by working on packages and promotions especially during the first three months of opening.”

As One World is linked to 1 Utama Shopping Centre, it will also have promotional tie-ups with theshopping mall.

“For instance, as part of the ongoing Malaysian Mega Sale celebrations, we have come up with a “scratch & win” contest where we have contributed 10 vouchers for a 3–day, 2-night stay here,” Ho adds.

As part of the guest privileges programme, hotel guests can enjoy special privileges and discounts in 35 specialtyshops and outlets at 1 Utama by identifying themselves at the participating outlets.

In conjunction with its opening, it is offering an introductory promotion rate of RM298++ for a superior room including breakfast. The promotion will go on for three months.
While the grand opening is being planned for early next year, there will be a soft opening celebration for invited gueststhis Saturday.

Located off both the Damansara-Puchong Highway and Dataran Bandar Utama, the hotel stands between 1 UtamaShopping Centre (old wing) and Plaza IBM/KPMG Tower. The hotel, with 438 rooms (96 superior rooms, 272 deluxe rooms and 70 suites), has five food and beverage outlets and will soon have a local spa chain. It also has six function rooms and its pillarless Imperial ballroom can accommodate 2,000 people in a sit-down capacity.

One World Hotel

first avenue, off dataran bandar utama, 47800 petaling jaya, selangor, malaysia

telephone: 603 7681 1111

facsimile: 603 7681 1188

e-mail: sales@oneworldhotel.com.my

One World Hotel Website : http://www.oneworldhotel.com.my/

Download One World Hotel Brochure (PDF - 443kb) - Here

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