Sabah a magnet for tourists.

27th March, 2013

Sabah a magnet for tourists.

SABAH, also known as the “Land Below The Wind”, is among one of the country's fastest growing economies driven mainly by its eco-tourism products, palm oil industry and other natural resources.

Home to the nation's highest peak Mount Kinabalu and world-class diving site Sipadan, Sabah draws hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world annually.

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Islands off the Kota Kinabalu capital city is also a popular draw for local and foreign tourists seeking adventure sport holiday packages.

The Danum Valley rainforest conservation area also draws researchers from all over the globe as well as prominent visitors like Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton last year.

 Copyright@1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

Capitalising on Sarawak’s tourism opportunities.

26th March, 2013

Capitalising on Sarawak’s tourism opportunities.

KUCHING: For Sarawak to succeed in providing new tourism opportunities in order to attract more travellers and reach its target, it will have to resolve the issue of air connectivity. In its 2012 report on the state, Inside Investors highlighted that the Sarawak government and its Sabah counterpart were in agreement with Malaysia Airlines Systems Bhd (MAS) subsidiary MASwings to be East Malaysia’s own airline.

The latest developments indicated that this was the right decision. With added air capacity, the state could evolve into a tourism destination of choice for people who were not necessarily looking for the usual mass treatment but more for adventure, nature, cultural heritage and festivals.

Sarawak has recently found a niche in the so called musical tourism by staging several events the most famous of which were the Rainforest World Music Festival and the Miri International Jazz Festival. Both events are big draws for people who otherwise will probably bypass Sarawak compared to other tourism destinations.

“One other area is eco-tourism, which is part of the state’s development plan for the tourism sector. The government has indicated that all industry players will have to be responsive to the new plan, as it aims to create Sarawak’s own niche market to make its tourism offers more attractive,” Inside Investors enthused.

Meetings, incentives conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector is also gaining traction. This form of tourism in Sarawak could be easily related to projects in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), an area in which the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB) was focusing on. As far as the conferences related to SCORE, there would be, for example, the upcoming Hydropower Association conference in Kuching in May.

The government would use this as a platform to showcase how they could move forward in terms of hydropower utilisation and related technologies. All the events around SCORE offer a perfect opportunity for stakeholders to network with others who were also active in sub-sector business.

The Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) responsible for the conventional tourism, hopes to see more funds allocated for the tourism sector in the future. Under the Tenth Malaysia Plan, the state government had allocated a five year RM30 million fund to cover all tourism activities as well as its operation costs to the board, which made RM6 million a year.

This was however deemed too low by STB which meant that funds need to be raised from private investors to ensure the tourism industry stays on track.

By: Jonathan Wong, jonathanwong@theborneopost.com

Copyright@2010-2013 BorneoPost Online

Cycling packages helping to promote local products too.

25th March, 2013

Cycling packages helping to promote local products too.

RAUB: The cycling packages introduced by the Tourism Ministry have helped to highlight locals products besides boosting domestic tourism, said minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

“In Felda Tersang, there are local fruits like buah saga and the various colours of bunga raya; some of the things which city folks may not even know exist,” she said. “The settlers, too, were not familiar with them. But after they took part in the cycling programme, they came to know about these during their stops,” she added.

Dr Ng said the making of parang had also long existed in Felda Tersang but some settlers knew about it only through the cycling trips. “The cycling packages we launched last year have proven to be one of the most popular tourism packages for locals and foreigners.

“We have expanded the packages into the Felda settlements. We started it in Felda Tersang which is some 45km from Raub town,” she said after taking part in the 10km Kayuhan Sihat@ Tersang held at Felda Tersang Satu here yesterday.

Dr Ng said also said that her ministry had funded the upgrade of fishing ponds in Felda Tersang so that these would become more attractive to visitors, joggers and cyclists. “Soon their surface will be full of teratai flowers and the landscaping will be enhanced too,” she said.

 Copyright@1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

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

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

Domestic Tourism Dominates MATTA Fair.

11th March, 2013

Domestic Tourism Dominates MATTA Fair.

KUALA LUMPUR - Domestic tourism plays a major role in the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair, the much-awaited event for Malaysian travellers, said its president, Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun. Therefore, the three-day, 35th MATTA Fair which begins this Friday, offers a variety of domestic tourism packages, besides international packages.

"This time, MATTA Fair will have a total of 1,100 booths filling up 25,000 square metres of space at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). The Matta Fair gets bigger and bigger every year, with more emphasis on domestic tourism," said Mohd Khalid.

He said this in a joint press conference with Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) at KL Sentral here today.

Elaborating on domestic tourism, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab said a survey for 2011 found that the percentage of Malaysians travelling within the country and to international destination was about the same.

Tourism Malaysia's survey showed that in 2011, Malaysians made a total of 131 million trips within the country, and this generated RM42 billion. "If we divide the number of trips to 27 million Malaysian population, this means each Malaysian made four to five trips within Malaysia in 2011," he added.

Malaysia Airlines regional senior vice-president (Malaysia and Asean) Muzammil Mohamad said the airlines offered airfares with discounts of up to 47 per cent off normal market fares for domestic travel. "In addition, our holidays marketing arm, MasHolidays, offers many types of holiday packages for both Malaysian domestic, as well as international destinations," he said, adding that flights to Sabah operated as usual.

Copyright@BERNAMA

Reaping the benefits of paranormal tourism.

9th March, 2013

Reaping the benefits of paranormal tourism.

THERE'S just something intriguing about the paranormal. It's scary, yet fascinating. And whether we want to admit it or not, it's so easy to get drawn into a good ghost story be it in the form of a book, movie, or from monumental places with its own rich, “haunting” history.

In recent years, there has been a rise in television shows depicting “ghost hunters” exploring haunted houses and historical buildings, and this has sparked interest for many people to satisfy their own curiosity about the paranormal especially through travel and tourism.

Spine-chilling places, locations with a macabre past or grotesque history will whet the appetite of any fan of the paranormal or even the average tourist looking for a memorable, unique experience from their travels. So it's not surprising that many countries around the world these days are reaping the benefits of paranormal tourism.

This is especially the case for countries in Europe, where owners of castles and hotels provide tours to tourists and fans of the supernatural that take them a step closer “to the darkside” whilst at the same time making good money from it all.

The concept of paranormal tourism, however, has not quite picked up in Malaysia, although its financial potential and benefits have been under the radar for quite some time. In 2011, it was reported that Sabah was planning on holding a cultural festival featuring mythical creatures because its state government realised that interest in the paranormal was a growing phenomenon.

Noteworthy also is the fact that when Muzium Negara held its Exhibition on Ghosts in June 2002, it recorded one of its highest visits ever, selling over 30,000 tickets in a single day.

Malaysia is known for having its fair share of haunted places. One such notable location is Kellie's Castle in Perak. With the right push from the relevant authorities, these locations can be more than just spooky places to be talked about. They can become high tourist attractions, with the potential of raking in good tourism dollars.

By: EUGENE MAHALINGAM eugenicz@thestar.com.my

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.

Tour operators to be educated on social media.

Date: 6 March 2013

Tour operators to be educated on social media.

KUALA LUMPUR: Social media will be part of the Tourism Ministry's education programme for tour operators and travel guides.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said social media must be included to ensure the travel industry is up to date with current trends.

“When they apply for a licence to operate, they need to undergo a two-day compulsory training course while those who want to renew their licences have to attend a one-day continuous education course.

“So, the social media aspect will be included in both these courses as it is important in improving the services and products provided to tourists,” she said after launching the two-day 2nd Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference and Awards 2013 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.

Dr Ng pointed out that the ministry had come out strong in utilising social media in its promotional activities with the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia's Facebook page receiving 1,365,925 likes.

By WONG PEK MEI pekmei@thestar.com.my

Copyright © 1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

Let’s get ready for Visit Malaysia Year 2014 now, says Ng.

Date: 4 March 2013

Let’s get ready for Visit Malaysia Year 2014 now, says Ng.

GEORGE TOWN: Although 2014 may be a year away, the Tourism Ministry is wasting no time in making early preparations to woo the targeted 28 million tourists.

Besides a grand tourism carnival to create awareness in the public and private sectors, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said her ministry would also reintroduce the salam gesture to welcome visitors to the country. “It’s symbolic and let’s try to make it a natural habit for everyone,” she said. The gesture requires one to put his right hand over the left collarbone as a courtesy greeting.

Dr Ng said people should understand that Visit Malaysia Year 2014 was good for the economy as it would generate income for the nation. “It (tourism) is our third largest foreign exchange earner and generates 1.8 million jobs. If tourism prospers, the economy will, too,” she said at the mini carnival promotional campaign for VMY14 at the Queensbay Mall outdoor car park here yesterday.

She said the ministry targeted 28.8 million tourists to visit the country next year. “Last year, we had 25.03 million tourists. We expect 26 million for this year. “We are heading towards achieving our 2020 target of 36 million tourists a year,” she said.

Dr Ng also said the ministry aimed to reduce foreign workers in the tourism and related sectors.

As for Penang, Dr Ng said 127 hotels had been rated and urged the rest to do so to achieve a common standard. She said there should be an additional nine hotels with a total of 2,016 rooms in Penang by 2016. “We need at least 9,000 five-star hotel rooms in the state by 2020.”

She added that Penang should be more competitive in tourism because it was the leader back in the 1960s and 1970s.

 Copyright © 1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

MATTA Eyes RM90 Million Sales In March MATTA Fair 2013.

Date: 27 February 2013

MATTA Eyes RM90 Million Sales In March MATTA Fair 2013.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) - The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) expects to secure RM90 million in total sales turnover for its MATTA Fair 2013 March session, slightly lower than the RM106 million registered in the same session last year.

In September 2012, the most anticipated travel fair secured a RM120 million sales turnover.

MATTA Fair March 2013 Organising Chairman Jeffri Sulaiman said the upcoming 13th general election (GE), expected to be in March, has weighed on the sentiment of industry players. "As everybody is aware, the GE has put worries on consumers as well as exhibitors. We've been asking what MATTA's plan is if the GE falls during the exhibition days. There is nothing we could do, the show must go on," he told a press conference on the event Wednesday.

MATTA Fair 2013 will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre on March 15-17. Jeffri said this session will be bigger than the previous one with a total of 1,100 booths in five halls and exhibition areas.

The association plans to expand the coverage area into Legar Putra, PWTC, to support all exhibitor booths.

Jeffri expects the three-day event to receive a total of 100,000 visitors, a hike from 92,600 visitors in the same session of 2012. "We are positive with the outlook of Malaysia's tourism industry despite the uncertain global economy. The number of MATTA members has increased from 2,800 in last year to 3,000, to date. This shows a high demand for our travel industry," he said.

Jeffri noted MATTA FAIR 2013 will draw several new services with the introduction of online entrance ticket purchase, MATTA mobile Apps and online entry forms for the MATTA buyers contest.

At the same event today, MATTA signed an agreement with Etihad Airways to mark the latter as its official airline partner for the second consecutive session.

Copyright @ BERNAMA

Tourism Programmes Provide Thousands Of Jobs In Penang.

Date: 26 February 2013

Tourism Programmes Provide Thousands Of Jobs In Penang.

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 26 (Bernama) - Tourism Ministry programmes in Penang have opened thousands of jobs for the local population while increasing the state's revenue.

Penang Tourism Ministry Office director, Jaime Yeoh said the ministry is organising various events, including a Mini Carnival to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2014 from March 2-3. The carnival with the theme, "Celebrating 1Malaysia Truly Asia.. We Are The Host' is expected to be launched by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, he told a press conference Tuesday.

Other than tour packages designed for health-tourism, it is also promoting Juru Autocity, the hub for the homestay programme and luxury yachts.

The ministry is targeting tourists from India, China, Russia, Middle East and countries in the region as many airlines are interested in flying to destinations in Malaysia.

Yeoh said the Mini Carnival will showcase tourism products, social services, cultural performances and development of the tourism industry. The public will also have the opportunity to apply for jobs and training to meet the demands of the tourism industry during Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

Copyright @ BERNAMA

Kuala Penyu To Be Developed Into Tourist Destination.

Date: 18 February 2013

Kuala Penyu To Be Developed Into Tourist Destination.

KUALA PENYU - Kuala Penyu would be developed into another tourist destination for Sabah, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman Monday.

He said this beautiful coastal district was suitable for holiday and leisure activities.

"Tourism development here will surely create many job opportunities for the local residents.

"We will work at bringing local and foreign tourists here which will help stimulate economic activities in Kuala Penyu," he said at a Chinese New Year open house organised by Kuala Penyu Barisan Nasional, here.

Musa said for as long as the people gave the mandate to Barisan Nasional to rule the country, the government would always endeavour to assist them and improve their economy.

He also said that Malaysia was fortunate to have a national leader like Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who was always thinking of the best approaches to take to help the people.

Copyright @ BERNAMA

'Umrah' tour operators must follow new rules.

Date: 16 February 2013

'Umrah' tour operators must follow new rules.

NILAI: Umrah tour operators have been advised to strictly follow Saudi Arabian government regulations on the issuance of visas to avoid cases of pilgrims being stranded.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said yesterday the Saudi Arabian government was fine-tuning the issuance of umrah visas and was introducing new rules, including requiring female pilgrims to bring their own mahram or male relatives. Previously, they were allowed to be accompanied by representatives provided by tour operators.

He said the new rule might be due to the upgrading works in Masjidil Haram in Mecca, which made the tawaf areas smaller and required better safety measures.

Jamil said this after presenting the 1Malaysia Book Voucher (BB1M) and 1Malaysia Student Discount Card (KADS1M) to Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) students here yesterday. He handed over BB1M book vouchers and KAD1SM discount cards to 9,089 and 2,146 USIM students respectively.

Jamil said the tour operators must secure the visas first before booking the airline tickets for pilgrims. He was asked to comment on the case of 130 umrah pilgrims who were stranded at Senai International Airport in Johor on Thursday night.

Jamil said Tabung Haji did not handle the umrah package.

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

‘Rampant land clearing in Kelantan will affect tourism’.

Date: 16 February 2013

‘Rampant land clearing in Kelantan will affect tourism’.

KOTA BARU: Rampant land clearing and serious environmental degradation in the state's forest reserves would affect Kelantan's image as an eco-tourism destination, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. She said that clearing of the state's forests without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would affect the ministry's promotion of the state.

“Tourism Malaysia's motto is to protect, manage and preserve the environment and Kelantan has the all the ingredients to promote eco-tourism. Publicity on the wanton land clearing without any EIA studies would certainly affect the ministry's efforts to promote eco-tourism in the state,” Dr Ng said after attending the state-level Chinese New Year celebrations here yesterday.

She was commenting on media reports that the Kelantan PAS-led government had cleared thousands of hectares of forest land in the Gua Musang and Kuala Krai districts which stretched to the state's borders with Perak and Pahang. The land clearing has also caused hardship to the orang asli as rivers have been polluted. Scores of orang asli living in settlements in Gua Musang have also been displaced and their income from forest produce has been affected after the state government allegedly alienated 200,000ha of land for the Ladang Rakyat scheme to non-bumiputra companies.

Dr Ng, who is also Kelantan MCA chief, said that the state government should protect the interest of all its residents.

Copyright @ 1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

Sabah set to become champion of marine tourism in Malaysia.

Date: 3 February 2013

Sabah set to become champion of marine tourism in Malaysia.

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit yesterday expressed confidence that Sabah would emerge as the champion of Marine Tourism in the country soon. He said this was evident from the increasing number of tourist arrivals in the state where, last year alone, a total of 2.88 million tourist came to visit Sabah, a marked increase of 1.1 per cent from year 2011 (2.84 million tourist).

He said last year’s state tourism calendar showed 18 cruise ships with 12,707 passengers had come to Kota Kinabalu Port. “Also, we have 131 international flights with 19,294 seats and 660 domestic flights with 85,976 seats a week having landed at Sabah airports.

“That is good for tourism sector in Sabah. Sabah must be proud to have a beautiful beach, high mountain, amazing world class islands, various ethnic groups, food and culture. These make Sabah a unique state compared to the other states in Malaysia,” he said in his speech in conjunction with 13th City Day Anniversary Celebration at Jesselton Point, near here. Also present was the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu City, Datuk Abidin Madingkir.

Dawos said Kota Kinabalu, with a suitable location and geography, had good opportunity to be one of the stop-over destinations for Cruise ships in Asia. “Tourists love our numerous towns by the seaside. Of all the places I went to, Kota Kinabalu is one of the best and fantastic cities to enjoy the scenic sunset,” he said.

“With the natural silhouette of beautiful islands in the background, we are here today at Jesselton Point (one of the popular leisure spots among the locals) to witness how such a wonderful event like KK City Day Sunset Sea Parade can be done here with Kota Kinabalu’s stunning view of the beautiful South China Sea,” he said. In this respect, Dawos underlined the need for the people, particularly city dwellers, to play their part in keeping Kota Kinabalu City clean and free from rubbish. — Bernama

Copyright @ 2010-2013 BorneoPost Online

Media Encouraged To Give New Ideas To Promote Tourism.

Date: 3 February 2013

Media Encouraged To Give New Ideas To Promote Tourism.

MELAKA - The media have been encouraged to give new ideas to promote the tourism industry, particularly in Malacca which banks on heritage and culture. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said their views were important for they could help attract more tourists as well as preserve national heritage for future generations.

"Efforts to uphold national heritage are important for the benefits of future generations, and the thrust of the historic city of Melaka's heritage management is preserving heritage sites in the interest of preservation and protection of its legacy," he said.

He was speaking at a dinner in conjunction with the All Ladies Treasure Hunt organised by the Association of Women and Wives of Bernama Employees (Benita) at Bayview Hotel here last night. Bernama acting general manager Datuk Yong Soo Heong was present.

Two hundred women travelling in 50 cars took part in the hunt from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka, yesterday. The contestants vied for prizes, including RM10,000 cash, and diamond and pearl pendants worth RM2,000 from Habib Jewels.

Mohd Ali said the state government would give priority to preservation and protection of its historical heritage sites in line with the recognition accorded by Unesco on July 7, 2008. He also urged stakeholders, including building owners and residents, to help preserve the state's heritage and culture.

Copyright @ BERNAMA

Tourism Ministry Plans New Training Modules To Create Tourist Guides For Heritage Sites.

Date: 2 February 2013

Tourism Ministry Plans New Training Modules To Create Tourist Guides For Heritage Sites.

GEORGE TOWN - The Ministry of Tourism plans to have new training modules to create qualified tourist guides for Unesco heritage sites in Malaysia namely in Malacca and Penang, according to its deputy secretary-general Rashidi Hasbullah.

He said the ministry was planning to value-add the tourist guide's badge with an additional sticker for conducting tours in heritage areas.

"A tourist guide with a blue badge who wants to become a heritage guide needs further training to get the additional sticker," he told reporters after briefing industry players in Penang on the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014, here Saturday.

Also present was Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab.

Rashidi said there are planning to conduct a two-week course for interested tourist guides to ensure they are qualified to become such guides (for Unesco heritage areas).

Copyright @ BERNAMA

Swift KLIA clearance.

Date: 2 February 2013

Swift KLIA clearance.

SMOOTH PASSAGE: Immigration Dept acts on PM’s advice.

That’s the amount of time travellers will have to spend once they hand over their passports to be processed at the Immigration clearance counters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The initiative, which took effect yesterday, to cut the waiting time for air travellers is to address long queues during peak hours and set a maximum 10 minutes wait for those lining up at the counters.

The implementation of the 10-minute clearance system follows an advice from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for the Immigration Department to improve the quality of service and to give a positive image of the country to the international community.

Immigration director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad said the last person in the queue would not have to wait for more than 10 minutes as the process to clear a passport would take only 45 seconds. In the past, it could take up to an hour during peak periods before passengers were cleared.

Alias said the department had opened all counters to allow for faster service. "We have 104 counters for check-ins and check-outs and all counters will be opened during peak hours," he said at KLIA yesterday.

The department, Alias said, had also cordoned off a section for foreign workers, who would be checked in by their employers. He said should any problem arise with the workers and their documents, it would not affect other travellers. He said rope-partitions had also been set up to make a "snake-queue", that would prevent syndicates from timing their arrivals and departures.

"It's easier to track them and we also make sure that our officers are present to monitor the situation at the counters at all times," he said, adding that although passport clearance would be done fast, the security aspect would not be compromised. "We have a list of names that are blacklisted and included in the biometric system."

The department had recruited 176 more officers.

By AISYAH SULAIMAN news@nst.com.my 

Additional reporting by Hana Naz Harun

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

Melaka Zoo Expected To Attract One Million Visitors This Year.

Date: 1 February 2013

Melaka Zoo Expected To Attract One Million Visitors This Year.

MELAKA - The Melaka Zoo and Night Safari is expected to attract a million visitors this year under its new management since Jan 1.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said this target was in line with initiatives worth RM8 million to upgrade various facilities and buildings, as well as cleanliness under the privatisation by Konsortium KKW Sdn Bhd.

"We hope the Melaka Zoo and Night Safari will be able to attract one million visitors, with projected ticket collections of RM8 million this year compared to 750,000 visitors and ticket sales of RM3.5 million last year," he said when launching the zoo's new management, here Friday.

Also present was KKW Sdn Bhd managing director, Datuk Michelle Ong.

In line with the target, he said the consortium, comprising Koperasi Hang Tuah Jaya, Koperasi Bela Masyarakat (KOBEMAS) and Wildlife Sdn Bhd has planned an assortment of programmes to attract visitors such as animal show, animal feeding programmes, night train and treasure hunt.

Copyright @ BERNAMA