Jakarta Great Sale 2013 Aims to Draw Tourists From Asia and Middle East.

28th March, 2013

Jakarta Great Sale 2013 Aims to Draw Tourists From Asia and Middle East.

The Jakarta Great Sale Festival 2013 will kick off in June to offer discounted products in an effort to attract domestic buyers and draw tourists from Asia and the Middle East to malls in the capital. The two-week event will launch on June 1, in honor of Jakarta’s 486th anniversary. Handaka Santosa, the head of the festival, said that the festival will combine shopping, cultural and lifestyle events into one big event.

This year’s event will highlight Indonesian cuisine and traditional crafts, in cooperation with the Indonesian Female Entrepreneurs and Regional Crafts Council. This year, Handaka said, the festival has teamed up with 74 shopping centers and other partners throughout the city to offer 20 percent to 70 percent off a myriad of products. Handaka added that the event strives to draw tourists to malls across Jakarta.

“The Jakarta Great Sale Festival is also targeted to reach the Asia and Middle East areas. We expect the tourists from those areas will be attracted to come to Jakarta to enjoy the many discounts and to shop,” he said during dinner with Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama at City Hall on Wednesday night.

Basuki said the annual event encourages people to come to the city, spend money and experience all that Jakarta has to offer. “It’s better if all products are discounted, not only certain brands. With many products at a discounted price, people that come here would remember Jakarta,” Basuki said.

Handaka said he was optimistic that campaigns across Asia and the Middle East promoting the Jakarta Great Sale Festival would pay off with a massive influx of buyers. He also told Kompas.com that he wants to show Indonesians that they don’t need to go overseas to find great products at affordable prices. Handaka said that the Jakarta Great Sale Festival 2013 is expected to see 15 percent more money from transactions than last year’s event ,which reached Rp 10.7 trillion ($175 million). The organizer also said the sale would strengthen the relations among business people in the city, increase mall visitors by 20 percent and contribute to Jakarta’s tax income.

Sapta Nirwandar, vice minister of tourism and creative economy, said the Jakarta Great Sale will bring many profits to the capital city. “The event will increase Jakarta’s regional income and also increase the tourists visiting the city,” Sapta said.

By: Lenny Tristia Tambun

Copyright@2013 JakartaGlobe

Tourism Malaysia's New Frankfurt Director To Reach Out To Consumers.

26th March, 2013

Tourism Malaysia's New Frankfurt Director To Reach Out To Consumers.

FRANKFURT - Tourism Malaysia's new Frankfurt director will not only reach out to the tourism and travel trade but also directly communicate with the German consumers through a reach-out strategy that aims to add to the shine of Malaysia's image as an attractive tourist destination.

Maizan Ahmad, who assumed the post of director of Tourism Malaysia's Frankfurt office just two months back, said she would not just promote business-to-business contacts but also sharpen the consumer awareness about Malaysia's attributes as an attractive destination that would especially appeal to German tourists.

"It is equally important to directly communicate with the German consumers who are known to be passionate about foreign travel, and experience new lands and cultures," Maizan said in an interview with Bernama.

German tourists spent a mind-boggling 65 billion Euros (about RM262.3 billion) during 2012 on travel and tourism-related activities, according to Maizan.

"German tourists are among the world's top spending-tourists. Indeed, travel is an important part of a German's life. Germans are trend-setters. But Germany is also a challenging market. There has been a shift in the ranking of Germany which was until a couple of years back the second highest source of tourism traffic to Malaysia, behind the UK, in Europe. Meanwhile, Germany has been overtaken by France in terms of tourist arrivals in Malaysia ... while 131,277 German tourists were clocked in Malaysia in 2012, we received 136,172 French tourists visited Malaysia in the same year.

"In 2011, we had 124,670 German tourists visiting Malaysia compared with 127,980 French tourists," Maizan said. "One possible reason for the surge in French traffic could be the air connectivity. AirAsia operated a daily flight to Paris until early 2012, in addition to the daily flight operated by Malaysia Airlines," she explained adding that in contrast, MAS operates only five flights a week to Frankfurt.

"Consequently, our strategy is to also work with foreign airlines which operate flights to Malaysia through their hubs, even though these are not direct flights which German tourists usually prefer to take," she said.

But she is also planning to intensify contacts with German tour and travel operators and also going to break into a niche segment -- the upper-market segment -- in the area of luxury travel and lifestyle.

Also on the cards are several events planned in Germany in connection with the Visit Malaysia Year 2014, which would include organising familiarisation tours for travel and tour operators as well as the media.

By: Manik Mehta

Copyright@BERNAMA

Malaysians spread wings to new destinations.

25th March, 2013

Malaysians spread wings to new destinations.

Malaysians are taking advantage of new air links to explore a broader range of tourist destinations, a new study of online bookings has shown.

Travel search site Wego looked at the behaviour of 100,000 travellers using the company’s Malaysian site, www.wego.co.my. The results found that Malaysians searched for 2,500 flight destinations in 2012 – 900 more than in 2011. This trend was matched in terms of accommodation searches, with a rise of 400 hotel destinations taking the total to almost 2,000.

And while Wego noted that regional hubs such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Taipei and Singapore are still most popular, Malaysians appear to be developing an appetite for new destinations, driven by the proliferation of new low-cost air routes being launched from Kuala Lumpur.

“Users are constantly finding new routes with AirAsia, Jetstar, Malindo Air and other carriers which soon become popular, especially if they are seen to be affordable,” said Dean Wicks, Wego’s Chief Marketing Officer. “It’s driving a shift away from the traditional selections of Bali and Phuket in favour of destinations like Bandung, a favourite weekend retreat with Jakarta residents, Hat Yai, Macau and Perth.”

Only a quarter of flight searches on www.wego.com.my are domestic, with Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu trending up, according to Wego, along with Penang and Johor Bahru. And Wicks said he expects Malaysians to expand their horizons further in future, as airlines continued to add new routes.

“AirAsia’s push into India with Chennai as the hub, Malaysia Airlines joining oneworld and teaming up with partners Cathay Pacific, British Airways and Qantas will change the mix again, especially on the mid- to long-haul. Istanbul, for example is another destination gaining share of our Malaysian users’ attention,” he said.

Malaysians are also now moving more up-market. A record 16% searched for five-star properties in 2012, up from less 14% in 2011.

By: Mark Elliott

Copyright@www.traveldailymedia.com

Health Tourism Generates RM570 Million In Revenue Last Year.

21^st March, 2013

Health Tourism Generates RM570 Million In Revenue Last Year.

KUALA LUMPUR - The health tourism sector has generated RM570.5 million in revenue last year, following improved customer experience, proactive alliances and niche marketing.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said: "We have seen a more than 20 percent growth in terms of health tourism since the past three years."

Health tourism has been outlined as one of the entry point projects under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA), and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council was established to drive the promotion.

Speaking at the launching of the Healthcare in Asia 2013 conference, here, today, Liow said as for the national budget allocation, the ministry hoped to push for at least 10 percent to be allocated for the health sector compared to the current eight percent.

However there would be no cut back in budget allocation for the health sector, he added.

Copyright@BERNAMA

Mexico may drop out of top 10 tourist destinations; border tourism, cruise ship stops affected.

20th March, 2013

Mexico may drop out of top 10 tourist destinations; border tourism, cruise ship stops affected.

MEXICO CITY - Mexico’s top tourism official said the country may drop out of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations, a spot it has held for years. Tourism Secretary Claudia Ruiz Massieu hasn’t said why the drop occurred, but there were declines in 2012 in two areas that have been affected by violence: border tourism and cruise ship stopovers.

The number of cruise ship passengers stopping in Mexico dropped 3 percent in 2012 and more than 15 percent over the past two years. The number of border visitors dropped 5.3 percent in 2012, according to Tourism Department figures.

Mexican border cities such as Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo have experienced continued waves of drug cartel violence, and a number of cruise operators have dropped port calls along Mexico’s western Pacific coast. Both areas have been affected by drug-fueled violence that has cost more than 70,000 lives in the past six years.

The drops contributed to a 1.2 percent decline in overall international tourism to Mexico in 2012. “We have indications that we may drop one or two places, but we’re not sure because the figures aren’t ours, they are from the World Tourism Organization,” Ruiz Massieu said Monday.

The WTO regional director for the Americas, Carlos Vogeler, said Tuesday it may be less a story of Mexico losing tourists, than about other countries making big gains and overtaking Mexico. “You have to take into account that there are countries that have made a great deal of progress in attracting international visitors,” Vogeler said. “For example, Russia has improved its figures, Malaysia has improved its own, and Austria. There are a number of countries that have increased their numbers significantly.”

And he noted Mexico has continued to gain in tourism revenues. Income from International tourists rose 7.1 percent in 2012, despite the decline in the number of visitors. “According to our initial data, Mexico has increased its income, apparently because people who arrive by air (rather than crossing a land border or arriving on a cruise ship) generally spend more time, and more money, in the country,” Vogeler said.

Ruiz Massieu seemed fairly calm about the whole affair. “What this administration and the Tourism Department are doing is looking to the future. ... We want to be more competitive globally. We want to diversify our tourism industry,” Ruiz Massieu said, referring to efforts to diversify beyond what has long been the country’s staple: American tourists visiting beach resorts.

While she did not offer specific figures, Ruiz Massieu said Mexico had attracted a large number of spring break visitors this year.  “The spring breakers season is ending and we had a very strong turnout at our main resorts. ... We’re very happy that we continue to be a favorite destination for that sector,” she said.

Tourism industry sources say that some Mexican resorts such as Cancun appear almost immune to problems in other parts of the country. The Travel Leaders Group, a network of independently owned and operated travel agencies in the U.S., noted that Cancun continues to be the second-most popular destination among Americans.

“It appears that travelers are quite savvy on the situation in Mexico and understand that there are many popular and safe destinations to visit,” Travel Leaders spokeswoman Kathy Gerhardt wrote earlier this year. “Also, many people are repeat visitors to Mexico. Based on their past experience in a particular destination or at a particular resort, they feel very comfortable traveling there again.”

Copyright@1996-2013 The Washington Post

Industry players welcome country's tourism achievement.

20th March, 2013

Industry players welcome country's tourism achievement.

KUALA LUMPUR: The success enjoyed by the country in the tourism sector through 50 million tourist arrivals in 2011 and 2012 with a Gross National Income reaching RM100 billion, received positive reaction from the industry players.

According to Dinar Holidays Sendirian Berhad executive, Saudi Muhd, the achievement showed that the country was on the right track towards achieving developed nation status and hitting the 36 million tourist arrival target even before 2020.

"Many programmes have been initiated to encourage more tourists to the country, including the Homestay programme and I am proud with the achievement of the tourism sector," he told Bernama when commenting on the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) annual report tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, here last night.

As for Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) vice president Jeffri Sulaiman, the achievement would be a stepping stone for those in the travel and tourism industry to enhance the quality of their services.

"Tourism industry players must be wise in seizing the opportunities available through research to study the latest trend and new developments and initiatives offered by the government to attract tourists," he said.

He said the availability of many hotels, cheap flight tickets, cheap holiday packages and qualified and experienced tour guides has been able to attract more tourists who come to learn the traditions, culture and way of living in multi-racial Malaysia. - BERNAMA

Copyright@2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

The race to woo more tourists.

18th March, 2013

The race to woo more tourists.

KUALA LUMPUR: WITH the 15th edition of the Formula 1 Grand Prix taking place from Friday to Sunday, Tourism Malaysia  is set to take advantage of the spike in tourist arrivals to embark on another promotional blitz. The 1Malaysia Grand Prix Sale, launched at the Pavilion in Jalan Bukit Bintang here recently, features 23 days of shopping mania with great discounts and promotions at participating outlets until April 7.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, who launched the event, said she was proud of the fact that last year Malaysia received some 25 million tourists who spent RM60.6 million, of which shopping contributed 30.7 per cent (or RM18.56 million) of the total tourism revenue. "The 1Malaysia Grand Prix Sale is one of the promotional activities in the run-up to Visit Malaysia Year 2014. The government is targeting to receive 36 million tourists and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020," said Ng.

In a symbolic gesture, Ng flagged off one of three Ferraris stationed at Pavilion when launching the event. This was followed by a fashion show, with models displaying the latest creations from leading fashion brands.

Among the participating malls in the on-going promotion are Sunway Pyramid, where most outlets are offering discounts of up to 70 per cent and a chance to win F1 GP grandstand tickets, and Fahrenheit 88, which is having its 100 Pairs Giveaway special. The latter promotion has shoppers who spend RM100 in a single receipt at any specialty store, or RM300 at Uniqlo or selected branded outlets, standing to win a pair of shoes, with up to 100 pairs of footwear worth RM20,000 to be given away.

After the promotion ends, shopaholics can look forward to the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival (June 29 to Sept 1) and the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale (Nov 16 to Jan 5 next year). The 1Malaysia GP Sale is jointly organised by Tourism Malaysia and Bukit Bintang-KLCC Tourism Association.

By: RICKY YAP | streets@nstp.com.my

Copyright@The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Step up efforts to promote islands.

13th March, 2013

Step up efforts to promote islands.

JOHOR BARU: THE Johor Tourism Department has to step up efforts to promote 14 islands in the state as tourist destinations in a bid to attract more visitors. Last year, the state recorded 22.3 million visitors, which was an increase of about 33 per cent in comparison to 16.7 million in 2011.

Johor Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Hoo Seong Chang said the department will focus on promoting the beaches and islands to tourists. "Johor has at least 14 islands including Pulau Tinggi, Aur, Pemanggil, Sibu, Tengah, Rawa, Kukup and Besar with resorts offering pristine beaches," he said at the launch of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair at the Danga City Mall here recently.

"European tourists have returned to visit our islands. They are also fascinated with the wetlands of Kukup Island which has been recognised as a Ramsar site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance."

He said the department is encouraged to speak to travel agents and the international media to provide them with information on the state's tourist attractions and gather feedback. "This is important in preparing for the run up to Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

Meanwhile, Tourism Ministry Johor office director Mohamad Isa Abdul Halim said that travellers are not affected by the upcoming 13th General Election. "Although polling date has yet to be announced, there was no drop in travel bookings in the state," he added.

Also present were MATTA Johor chairman Kenny Ngi and fair organising deputy president Steven Chung.

By: MAHANI ISHAK | johor@nst.com.my

Copyright@The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Make room for tourists on a shoestring budget.

11th March, 2013

Make room for tourists on a shoestring budget.

THE word is out. The place to be - for sun-sand-sea-beach-loving enthusiasts, foodies or those stuck in the nostalgia of old-world colonial charm - is the island of Penang. Tourists are coming in droves to check out what this tiny island has to offer and its people are gearing up to embrace the economic benefits that will enrich them in the coming years.

The hotel industry will be the best business to be in here as its clientele does not depend on "seasons" compared with the industry in Kuala Lumpur. Every day is an "Arab, Europe, Thai or Singaporean season" for the hotels in Penang. Some are even fully booked until next year.

Upon realising the mammoth tourism potential in the state, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has said that the island required the support of the hotel industry to be turned into a tourism hub.

The hospitality industry had foreseen this coming as nine hotels are being built on the island, with the first one to be ready by 2015.

Dr Ng had said to compete with other tourism-centric states such as Malacca and Johor, 9,000 five-star hotel rooms are needed by 2020, with a target of 36 million tourist arrivals. While some in the hotel industry concur with the need for more five-star hotels, there are others who say that there are enough rooms already.

Some who are involved in the hospitality and tourism business say that the target may be a bit too ambitious and on the wrong track as the real need is for more four-star hotels on the island. It was reported that Penang has more than 13,000 hotel rooms, with 5,368 in George Town, 2,417 along the popular Batu Ferringhi beach area and 1,077 in Tanjung Bungah, among others.

Industry experts believe that at least half of the tourists are drawn to Penang as it offers relatively cheap accommodation, besides other attractions. They also said there is a sizeable number of tourists who are backpackers who don't need five-star accommodation, seeking instead for affordable boutique hotels like the ones found in George Town.

So the question is, how many tourists would fork out RM300 to RM500 a night for a night's stay at a five-star hotel in Penang? There are some hotels at Batu Ferringhi that are charging even more and, believe it or not, they are enjoying full occupancy daily, with rooms booked months ahead. While some hotels in town and in the southern areas have rooms aplenty. They are grumbling that there is "no business" for them.

With the increase in the number of five-star hotels in Penang, most tourists, especially Malaysians from other states, would find it hard to stay and help the economy to prosper. Is there a real need for luxury hotels at a time when the people of Penang are already plagued with the lack of affordable homes, traffic jams and a plethora of other problems?

Perhaps it is time the authorities came out and walked around Lebuh Chulia, where hostels, bed and breakfast, inns and backpackers lodges thrive. In anticipation of Visit Malaysia Year 2014, government agencies must come together to ensure that tourists get decent accommodation at a decent price, rather than purely focusing on the well-heeled folk alone. The budget hotel rooms must be clean and hygienic or the image of the Pearl of the Orient will be tarnished.

By: Predeep Nambiar

Copyright@The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Langkawi's charter incentive drives arrivals.

11th March, 2013

Langkawi's charter incentive drives arrivals.

MALAYSIA'S Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) is keen to attract more charters to the island, having launched the Langkawi Charter Flight Incentive Programme (LCFIP) early last year.

Through LFCIP, which runs until December 31, 2015, LADA will provide financial support to charterers for their flight promotions to Langkawi, as well as assistance in joint marketing.

Malaysia Airports Holdings, which manages Langkawi International Airport, also provides free landing and parking to charterers participating in the programme.

At press time, LADA had secured 32 charter flights for this winter season, an increase from 27 last winter, with confirmed carriers such as Finnair, Novair, SCAT Air, Eva Air and Korean Air, said Rosnina Yaacob, LADA’s tourism division manager.

She added that LADA had also intensified its marketing efforts in Europe. “Europeans comprised 30 per cent of the total three million tourist arrivals and day trippers to Langkawi in 2012. This year, our target is to grow European arrivals to 35 per cent and total arrivals, including day trippers, to 5.9 million.”

Ting Zhang, sales and administration manager for In Depth Tourism Marketing UK, the sales office for The Danna Langkawi resort, lauded the LCFIP for providing more opportunities to woo longhaul travellers, particularly the high-yield Scandinavian market.

Nasha Abdullah, managing director, Malai Adventure Malaysia, agreed: “Word of mouth marketing is very important for the Scandinavian traveller. They are also creatures of habit, with the tendency to return to the places they have gone before provided they had positive, memorable experiences.”

By: S Puvaneswary, ITB Berlin

Copyright@TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd 2013

Malaysia Has Much To Offer European Holidaymakers.

11th March, 2013

Malaysia Has Much To Offer European Holidaymakers.

BERLIN - White sandy beaches, warm and sunny climate all-year round and a hospitable environment.

With such varied but picturesque landscapes, among others, Malaysia's irresistible offerings are after the heart of European holidaymakers.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said he had discerned a "new trend" among Europeans who, having visited the same beaches of southern European countries and the Mediterranean, were now eager to explore new destinations with different cultures and traditions.

He told Bernama this on the sidelines of Malaysia's participation at the International Tourism Exchange of Berlin, billed the world's largest travel trade fair, where Tourism Malaysia strongly promoted Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014.

"Visit Malaysia Year 2014 was announced some months back but we're now announcing it here to the world before a public that has very strong awareness of global markets," Mirza said at the Malaysian pavilion set up at the tourism show.

He noted that Germany was one of Malaysia's major markets, with about 131,000 German tourists visiting the Southeast Asian country last year.

By: Manik Mehta

Copyright@BERNAMA

STB's one-stop centre on events and attractions.

8th March, 2013

STB's one-stop centre on events and attractions.

The Singapore Tourism Board has created a one-stop online centre where Malaysians can learn about events and attractions in Singapore.

MALAYSIANS – more importantly Malaysian tourists - you are important to Singapore. Figures show that Malaysians make up one of the largest tourist groups to the island republic, and in 2011, arrivals grew by 10% to 1.1 million

Travel to Singapore peaks at the weekend and 33% of Malaysian visitors make more than three trips a year. So the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) sees Malaysians as making Singapore not just a holiday destination, but also an extension of their lifestyle.

A large majority are free and independent travellers who plan their own itineraries, relying heavily on the recommendations of family, friends and online communities. Keen to seek out new experiences, the Malaysian traveller is also partial to discovering new and exciting offerings, especially in the areas of dining and retail, spending almost equal amounts on each.

“We have observed that visits to Singapore driven by unique or time-limited experiences such as concerts, restaurant openings and events are on an upward trend. Our campaign will ride on these travel preferences to help spur the uptake further,” said Liew Chian Jia, STB (Malaysia) area director.

The “Only in Singapore, Right Now!” campaign seeks to raise awareness and highlight the bounty of new experiences and attractions that are coming up in the next 60 days and available exclusively in Singapore.

“Our studies show that most Malaysians are already familiar with Singapore’s classic attributes and are constantly seeking information on what’s new and upcoming that would compel them to return to Singapore. With Malaysian consumers growing increasingly affluent and sophisticated, we foresee that the sheer plethora of events promoted by our campaign will trigger the desire to visit Singapore even more frequently,” noted Liew.

To help you in your decision-making is the YourSingapore Live, a comprehensive and informative online platform that will serve a selection of up-to-date lifestyle experiences that can be sought out. “YourSingapore Live features an extensive range of attractions such as concerts, musicals, gastronomical adventures, attractions, exhibitions and a multitude of other lifestyle offerings.

The one-stop platform is also equipped with features that will make it easier for Malaysians to plan their next adventure in Singapore. “With YourSingapore Live, Malaysians will no longer have to browse through many different websites and platforms to get the necessary information. In fact, it is not just a one-stop platform to the latest activities in Singapore, but also an easy access to flights and event tickets booking,” added Liew.

Strategic co-collaborations between STB and such partners as airlines and credit card companies also help to create exciting offers and benefits to travellers.

By: S.S. YOGA

Copyright@1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

Sarawak eyeing six million tourists during VMY 2014.

9th March, 2013

Sarawak eyeing six million tourists during VMY 2014.

KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism is targeting six million tourist arrivals to Sarawak during Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014. Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said yesterday that VMY 2014 promotions and campaigns would be rolled out after the impending 13th general election.

Tourist arrivals in Sarawak surpassed the four million mark last year. “The state and federal governments will pick up momentum along the way by developing more unique and authentic tourism products to cater for foreign tourists,” he said at a `VMY 2014 Briefing and Dialogue with State Tourism Industry Players’ here. We will implement effective strategies to entice tourists to stay in the country longer.”

To ensure the success of VMY 2014, Dawos hoped that all stakeholders, including members of the public and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) would give a helping hand. “Contribute innovative and creative ideas so that we can achieve our objectives. We need everyone to be committed and take their roles seriously. We must not forget there’s competition from other Asean countries.”

Dawos said Malaysia was currently ranked number nine on the World Tourism Organisation’s list of most visited countries by international tourist arrivals. He thus urged all players to work closely together and share their resources to help push the tourism industry higher.

Using the recent `Chap Goh Mei’ cultural parade at Siniawan, Bau, as an example, Dawos said the crew of China’s broadcasting station (CCTV) was shooting a video there and this was the kind of thing which would benefit the country. “We are also targeting China as a potential market.”

The Visit Malaysia Year programme had been hosted for three times thus far. The first was in 1990 themed ‘Fascinating Malaysia, Year of Festivals’ which recorded 7.4 million arrivals and yielded RM4.5 billion in receipts. The second was in 1994 themed ‘Fascinating Malaysia, Naturally More’ which recording 7.2 million arrivals and receipts climbed to RM8.3 billion. The third was in 2007 to commemorate 50 years of nationhood. Tourist arrivals soared to 20.9 million and receipts totalled RM46.1 billion.

Dawos said the growth in tourist arrivals was in line with the target of the Malaysian Tourism Plan 2020 to achieve 36 million tourist arrivals and a tourism revenue of RM168 billion by year 2020. Last year, a total of 25,032,708 foreign tourists visited Malaysia, surpassing the figure of 24,714,324 arrivals in 2011. The total arrivals yielded RM60.6 billion on revenue in 2012, compared to RM58.3 billion in 2011.

The national target for this year is 26 million tourists.

Also present at the event were Ministry of Tourism Malaysia secretary-general Dato Dr Ong Hong Peng and the ministry’s deputy director-general (Marketing) Chong Yoke Har.

By: Karen Bong, reporters@theborneopost.com

Copyright @ 2010-2013 BorneoPost Online.

Australia Sees Strong Asian Tourist Arrivals.

Date: 7 March 2013

Australia Sees Strong Asian Tourist Arrivals.

CANBERRA, March 7 (Bernama) - Australia's overseas arrivals have recorded a 4.1 percent increase in the last 12 months, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a release by the Ministry of Tourism Thursday. The first Overseas Arrivals and Departures figures for 2013, released Thursday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, showed growth of inbound arrivals from many major markets in the month of January.

Despite a decline in arrivals from Asian markets such as China, Singapore and Malaysia during January 2013 -- due to Chinese New Year falling in February this year - these markets grew strongly in the 12 months to January 2013, up 8.8 percent, 6.8 percent and 8.5 percent respectively.

Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, said the figures highlighted the importance of the government's allocation of A$48.5 million Australian dollars (US$49.5 million) to the Asia Marketing Fund and Tourism Australia's long term marketing campaign "There's Nothing Like Australia."

"Continued annualized growth of overseas visitor arrivals gives the Australian tourism industry cause for optimism with strong growth continuing from Asian markets," Ferguson said. "It is likely that we will see strong solid growth in February 2013 driven by the Chinese New Year period and importantly, there are signs of continued improvement from large traditional markets such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the U.S."

Visitors from the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States, were up 1.4 percent, 9.5 percent and 8.5 percent respectively in January 2013. Visitors from other Asian markets including Indonesia and India continued to record positive growth, up 3.6 percent and 4.6 percent respectively in January 2013.

Outbound departures continue to grow, albeit at a slower pace. The outbound sector increased by 4.2 percent in January 2013, almost half the rate of the five year average of 8 percent.

Copyright @ BERNAMA

KLIA2 Terminal Building 80 Per Cent Completed, Says MAHB.

Date: 7 March 2013

KLIA2 Terminal Building 80 Per Cent Completed, Says MAHB.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 (Bernama) - The terminal building at the new KLIA2 low-cost airport has surpassed 80 per cent completion rate, says Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) Senior General Manager (Commercial Services) Faizah Khairuddin.

Construction of the 257,000 sq. m. KLIA2 is on track, she said, adding MAHB is working with the contractor to make sure the construction and internal works of the terminal building conclude by May 1.

Faizah said although the commencement date has been delayed to June 28, the two-month grace period would be utilised by the airport operator to perform testing and commissioning activities.

She said KLIA2 would be launched on June 28 this year, the date chosen by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and coinciding with the launch date of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in 1998. Faizah also said retailers can come in in stages while the terminal building is being completed.

"According to the timeline we are able to make it for commencement," she told Bernama. She said 82 per cent of the commercial floor space has been tendered, and no more new brands will be entertained.

Asked about Malindo Air's plan to begin operations in mid-March, she said MAHB is very happy with the presence of new airlines and welcomes Malindo into the family. “I think it's also good for consumers because now they have more choices and I believe that would induce further growth in our passenger numbers," she added.

The RM4 billion KLIA2, built to cater for the explosive growth expected in low-cost travel, is envisaged to handle a maximum of 45 million passengers per annum. It will have 60 gates, eight remote stands and 80 aerobridges, plus a 32,000 sq. m. retail space with 225 retail outlets.

By Kavita Pannir Selvam 

Copyright @ BERNAMA

More than 150 local and international brands to be showcased at shoe fair.

Date: 7 March 2013

More than 150 local and international brands to be showcased at shoe fair.

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysia International Shoe Festival (MISF) is back for the fourth consecutive year with more than 150 local and international brands being showcased. Among the highlights of the fair from March 29 to 31 at Hall 2 of the Putra World Trade Centre will be a showcase of the latest collection by Malaysia's tourism ambassador and shoe couturier, Datuk Dr Jimmy Choo.

“Malaysia has been ranked 19th worldwide in terms of our shoe exports. Half of the 68 million pairs made in our country yearly were sold to overseas markets. Our footwear export has fetched US$200mil (RM621mil) from markets such as Brazil, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Asean countries. I trust that the MISF 2013 will be well-received by tourists and shoe enthusiasts alike,” Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said at the soft launch of the festival here yesterday.

Other activities expected at the festival include a shoe fashion show, a Malaysia footwear design competition and an exhibit of works by young designers.

A brand new Hyundai i10 worth RM56,000 also awaits a lucky visitor who can successfully guess the value of the shoes on display inside the car at the fair. The car is sponsored by Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd. The contest is open to any visitor who spends RM300 and above at the festival and shares a photo of the MISF 2013 on the festival's Facebook page.

The MISF 2013 is organised by the Tourism Ministry and the Malaysian Footwear Manufacturers Association in conjunction with the Grand Prix Sale. The four-day exhibition, themed 1Malaysia Walking in Unity, Sole of the Nation, kicks-off with a special preview for trade buyers on the first day. Others can visit the fair on subsequent days from 10.30am to 8.30pm.

 Copyright @ 1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

Tourism Malaysia to woo more wedding tourists from India.

Date: 7 March 2013

Tourism Malaysia to woo more wedding tourists from India.

TOURISM Malaysia, which is eyeing 780,000 tourists from India in 2013, is all geared up to woo more wedding tourism from the country, its Director, Amran Abdul Rahman said. Last year, a total of 691,271 Indians visited Malaysia

"Indians spend lavishly on weddings, especially in the northern region. It is a great market indeed," he said, adding, spending between RM3 million to RM4 million for weddings is very common.

Tourism Malaysia, he said has identified places such as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Lucknow, as the major markets for wedding related tourism. There have been a few weddings held to date in Malaysia and the favourite destination of wedding couples was Langkawi, Pangkor, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

"We started this tourism strategy just four to five years ago and really want to go big on it. The market is so huge that the package could also include chartering a whole aircraft," he told Bernama. "Malaysia also offers exotic destinations like Sabah and Sarawak for Indians who are seeking locations closer to nature," said Amran.

On why there have been only a few weddings, despite the huge potential, he said, the segment is still at a very early stage of development. “One reason why we receive less weddings in Malaysia compared to Thailand, is that the product owners, namely hoteliers are not ready to host such big weddings. Of course, they are used to having Malaysian weddings. But the requirements for Indian weddings are different, especially in terms of food, which a majority of the hoteliers can't cater for," he added.

However, a number of hotels now understand the market and are well prepared to host, "Big Fat Indian Weddings."

On the part of Tourism Malaysia, he said, India’s leading wedding planners have been taken on hosted tours to Malaysia, to discover the best on offer. "We have also tied-up with wedding related magazines to showcase our products as well as participate in wedding fairs," he said. The aim, he added, is to attract more quality weddings and not just quantity.

Besides weddings, he said Tourism Malaysia also aims to promote high-end tourism like spas, eco tourism, golf, exotic destinations as well as event related tourism such as the Formula One, Moto GP, and International Shoe Festivals.

Amran said there is also a huge demand for "single women" outbound travellers, which Tourism Malaysia would tap on, by coming up with customised travel packages. "Besides spa, entertainment and shopping, we are also promoting diving activities for them in places like Tioman and Redang.

"Indian holidaymakers will continue to spend this year despite the global economic strain. Hence, we will be promoting various attractive destinations in Malaysia through various media and other activities, including campaigns on television, newspapers, magazines and the social media," he added.

Amran said Tourism Malaysia also does joint promotions with local tour operators, airlines, other tourism boards and select brands, to entice the tourism traffic from India. – Bernama

Copyright @ BERNAMA

Malaysia tops Asean tourist arrivals from 2007 to 2011.

Date: 5 March 2013

Malaysia tops Asean tourist arrivals from 2007 to 2011.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia received more tourists than any other Asean nation between 2007 and 2011, according to a new Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) report. 

Over half came from Singapore, helping drive economic growth and Malaysia’s foreign exchange earnings. According to the report, three quarters of the tourists to Malaysia were from within Asean, with over 70 per cent of them coming from Singapore, thanks to close family and business ties.

Meanwhile, between 2007 and 2011, tourist arrivals from outside the region grew by 28.6 per cent, bringing an influx of tourist dollars to countries like Vietnam and Singapore.

Intra-regional travel grew even more for some nations, rising by 34.5 per cent. However, Singaporeans and Malaysians made up nearly two-thirds of intra-Asean tourists in 2011, mostly to each other for short trips. The increased wealth of countries like Indonesia also increased visitor numbers to Vietnam, as well as newer destinations like Laos.

ICAEW Economic Advisor and Centre for Economics and Business Research(Cebr’s) Executive Chairman, Douglas McWilliams, said:" One success story for the region is tourism, a major industry for South East Asia. Tourism is not just a major employer but also provides substantial foreign currency earnings, so the rise is a boost to the region’s economies."

He also said a big boost actually came from intra-regional travel, including business travel, which had grown by over a third in the last four years, suggesting significant economic development. - BERNAMA

Copyright @ 2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Jetstar Asia looks to boost footprint in Malaysia.

Date: 4 March 2013

Jetstar Asia looks to boost footprint in Malaysia.

  

JETSTAR Asia, an affiliate of Australia's low-cost carrier the Jetstar group, is looking at stronger footprint in Malaysia by providing more frequencies from its hub in Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Chief executive officer Barathan Pasupathi said the airline has the opportunity to increase flight frequencies into those markets that it currently operate in, as well as looking at select new markets.

For its Malaysia market, Jetstar Asia flies from Changi International Airport (Singapore) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Penang International Airport, and vice versa. It first started flying to Malaysia in 2008.  Although being a low-cost carrier, the airline does not fly to the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) as it wants to provide convenience to its passengers, especially via the express rail link (ERL) train to connect from the airport to the city.

However, Pasupathi said Jetstar Asia will move to the new LCCT, klia2, once it begins operating in June. "That is definitely something that we are looking forward to because it basically has the same conveniences as the main terminal at KLIA. As long as our customers' convenience is there and it is easy for them to connect to the city, we will definitely move to klia2," he told Business Times recently.

When asked about the possibility of adding Sabah and Sarawak as Jetstar Asia's new destinations, he said that it is something the airline is looking at very closely as the markets are interesting and "the growth there is just booming". “But our immediate target is to focus on Kuala Lumpur and Penang by boosting flight frequencies and adding more seats into this market, and connecting these routes to our network into and out of Singapore," said Pasupathi.

As of October last year, Jetstar Asia has increased its capacity to key and emerging markets across its Southeast Asian network by 70,000 extra seats for services from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Phuket and Yangon.

Jetstar Asia is operating 61 weekly return services between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and, thus, providing customers with more timely connections to popular services through Singapore to Manila, Perth and Taipei. The airline currently has a daily return service between Singapore and Penang and Pasupathi said there is a potential to add more services over the next few months.

Jetstar Asia started its operations in December 2004 and currently operates more than 400 weekly flights to 24 destinations across 13 countries in the Asia Pacific region. It flies from its hub in Singapore to Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand and Thailand, among others.

The airline carried about 3.4 million passengers last year and expects to carry four million passengers this year. As at December 2012, Jetstar Asia has 18 Airbus A320 aircraft and the carrier expects to have a minimum of 19 A320s by year-end. The carrier received the first of six new A320s in October last year as part of its fleet rejuvenation programme.

By Bilqis Bahari 

Copyright © 2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Japan sees big potential in Asian Muslim tourists.

Date: 4 March 2013

Japan sees big potential in Asian Muslim tourists.

  

GREATER ENTHUSIASM: More travel agencies are going all out to ensure Muslims have a comfortable stay in their country

JAPAN has suffered a traumatic decrease of Chinese tourists since the third quarter of last year, primarily because of Sino-Japan territorial frictions. Filling the void are the new waves of tourists, notably from Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries.

The number of Chinese tourists dropped 33 per cent during October, for example, but Malaysian tourists rose 66 per cent and Indonesians 40 per cent, compared with the same month the previous year.

The new trend is driving Japanese enthusiasm in preparing to welcome Muslim visitors so that they can stay more comfortably in accordance with their religious requirements.

More than 130,000 Malaysians visited Japan last year, up nearly 14 per cent from the peak year of 2010, because of the growing Malaysian middle class that can afford to travel abroad and launch of low-cost carriers. These tourists include increasing Malay Muslims, who previously found it hard to keep their religious practices in Japan.

The Muslim population in Japan is between 50,000 and 100,000, most of them followers from overseas. There are only fewer than 1,000 Japanese Muslims, it is said, in a country of 120 million people.

Allah's teachings are unfamiliar to most of the Japanese. The new clientele in tourism is quickly educating Japanese travel business about Muslims. "A major challenge was to ensure space for worship and halal food for them," says Kazunari Kurosawa of Miyako Kokusai Co. Over the past few years, the travel agency in Osaka has developed environments for Asian Muslim visitors.

He studied about halal food and visited restaurants, accompanied by Japan Halal Association officials, approved by Malaysia's Jakim (Department of Islamic Advancement of Malaysia), to make sure they served non-alcoholic, pork-free food.

He arranged that Muslim visitors always used new disposable spoons, cups and other utensils taken directly to their mouths so that they are free from cleaning alcohol commonly used in Japan. He also secured space for musalla in shrines and other tourist spots and announced to his customers the kiblat (direction of the Qaaba)

Kurosawa has since served about 500 Muslim tourists from Malaysia and his spring tours for cherry blossom viewing are fully booked.

Many Southeast Asian tourists would also head for the northern parts of Japan to see snow-covered Japan and enjoy skiing and other "snow experiences" during winter. Hokkaido, the northernmost island, lately enjoyed an increasing number of Southeast Asian visitors, including Muslims.

In an unsurprising consequence, Chitose Outlet Mall Rera in Sapporo has installed a prayer room so that Muslims can shop for many hours without worrying about a place for prayers.

In October, the Japan Halal Business Association was founded in Tokyo for promoting halal-related business and market by educating businessmen about the traditions and halal requirements through publications, seminars and campaigns. They invited former Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as keynote speaker at the halal forum in November.

The Japanese government is also learning quickly about the potential of the faith-based tourism. The Japan National Tourism Organisation, the government tourism-promoting arm, plans to create an official halal guidebook for Muslim tourists, listing restaurants and worship places in Japan. It hopes to increase the number of Southeast Asian tourists to one million, double the number of 2011.

The organisation, in January signed a memorandum with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents to promote inbound Malaysian tourists. Also, last month, it held the Japan-Muslim tourism seminar for Japanese businesses interested in promoting inbound Asian Muslim tourists.

Inbound tourists to Japan rose to 8.37 million last year, recovering from the drop in the disaster-tainted previous year but lagging behind the year's goal of nine million. "It is not a satisfactory situation yet," said Land, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Akihiro Ohta. Setting a new yearly goal at 10 million for this year, he pledged to promote tourism by all means of all divisions of his ministry, obviously setting a big target for Muslim visitors from Asia and other parts of the world.

By Mutsuko Murakami

(Writer is a Tokyo-based veteran journalist) 

Copyright © 2011 The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad