KL fourth best shopping city.

Date: 27 November, 2012

KL fourth best shopping city.

SURVEY: It offers high quality experience with affordable prices

KUALA LUMPUR: MALAYSIA bagged  another global award when its capital was ranked the  fourth best shopping city in the world in a survey by CNN Travel. The survey saw Kuala Lumpur beat Paris, Hong Kong and Dubai. The top three cities are New York, Tokyo and London

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said: "We have arrived at the point where we are on a par with major cities and we will continue to pursue this effort by moving up the ladder." She said this at a press conference on the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale, here, yesterday.

The survey was based on four categories: ease of getting around, value, variety and experience. It was measured on a scale from one to 10. Kuala Lumpur scored 30 points and was the only city that obtained a full 10 points under the value category. It provided a high quality shopping experience at affordable prices, said CNN Travel.

Dr Ng said: "Our next step is to upgrade our infrastructure and transport services to attract high-end tourists. We should also look at producing more Malaysian theatre events similar to the ones in New York and London."

She acknowledged that the private sector played a crucial role in making KL an important shopping destination. The ministry is looking at tweaking certain areas such as public transport and bettering the tourism experience. "Based on the survey, we acquired six points for experience and getting around with ease. We're going to work hard to improve that figure and I believe we are on the right track."

Earlier this month, the city was crowned the second best shopping destination in Asia-Pacific by Globe Shopper Index, a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit based in Switzerland.

By SUKHBIR CHEEMA | news@nst.com.my 

Copyright © The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Malaysia's first turtle gallery.

Date: 27 November, 2012

Malaysia's first turtle gallery.

PORT DICKSON: Negeri Sembilan will soon have a colossal turtle statue to greet visitors, which will give a major boost to the tourism industry in the country. Unlike the renowned eagle statue in Langkawi, the turtle structure would not only serve as a monument but also as a gallery that visitors could tour.

State executive councillor in charge of culture, arts, heritage and Malay customs, Datuk Mohammad Radzi Kail, said the Turtle Sculpture Gallery project was still on the drawing board and would be presented to the Tourism Ministry next month.

He said the RM10 million gallery, a collaboration between Port Dickson Municipal Council and Glory Beach Resort, would be the first of its kind in the world once completed. "There is no such gallery in the world. It is hoped that it would be a state landmark."

Radzi said the gallery was part of continuing efforts by the Glory Beach Resort to help protect and conserve endangered turtles. For the past three years, the hotel has been conducting a turtle rehabilitation programme, in which locals and visitors can curb the extinction of turtles by rescuing its eggs from poachers and placing them in a hatchery.

"The gallery would be built overlooking the beach of Tanjung Gemuk here, near the hatchery," said Radzi. "It is aimed at educating the public on the importance of saving the species from the threat of extinction while encouraging them to participate in the cause." He added that visitors could take part in releasing hatchlings into the sea.

The Glory Beach Resort hatchery, set up in June 2010, has recorded a 74 per cent success rate in its hatching programme and thus far has released 3,200 hawksbill turtles into the sea. The programme was conceived after the Rantau Abang Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre discovered turtle tracks along the beaches here.

Radzi said once the gallery was completed, it would be able to attract people from all over the world to Port Dickson to study the species of turtles found here, such as leather back, green, hawksbill and Olive Ridley. Glory Beach Resort general manager Isaac Mohan Raj said the gallery would feature a aquarium, where the four species of turtles would be displayed for public viewing. "The aquarium will be connected to a pond where the turtles could lay eggs." There would also be an auditorium providing information and posters on turtles, in addition to a restaurant overlooking the sea, he added.

By MAIZATUL RANAI | maizatulranai@nst.com.my 

Copyright © The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad

Sarawak records 2.95 mil visitor arrivals this year.

Date: 27 November, 2012

Sarawak records 2.95 mil visitor arrivals this year.

KUCHING (Nov 27, 2012): Sarawak recorded 2,944,821 visitor arrivals between January and September this year, an increase of 8.1 per cent compared to the 2,723,964 arrivals for the same period last year, State Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said today.

He said that of the total number of arrivals so far this year, 1,918,497 were international visitors and 1,026,324, from peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.

"There were notable increase in the arrivals from Singapore, China, Australia and the United Kingdom," he said when winding up debate pertaining to his ministry at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here.

Abang Johari said culture, adventure and nature (CAN) tourism products offered in Sarawak continued to be the main attractions, with 206,186 visitors being recorded until June this year.

"The Semenggoh Wildlife Centre recorded the highest number of visitor arrivals with 46,370 followed by the Bako National Park with 21,052 and the Niah National Park with 11,862," he added. – Bernama

Copyright © 2012 Sun Media Corporation Sdn. Bhd.

'Eye On Malaysia' Wheel In Pulau Melaka To Operate In April.

Date: 26 November, 2012

'Eye On Malaysia' Wheel In Pulau Melaka To Operate In April.

MELAKA, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- The 101-metre high "Eye on Malaysia" Ferris wheel under construction in Pulau Melaka is expected to start operating in April next year, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said today.

Construction of the 13th highest Ferris wheel in the world, being built at a cost of RM40 million, had progressed to 15 per cent, involving installation of piles, he said. "The installation of the wheel structure will begin in February," he said during a visit to the project site.

Mohd Ali said the made-in-China Ferris wheel, with 54 gondolas, could assist in the development of Pulau Melaka, which also has a wildlife theatre, as a major tourist attraction of the world. Besides the Ferris wheel, local company The Eye Sdn Bhd was also developing a water and light theme park as well as a 28-storey hotel, he said.

Mohd Ali invited more tourism industry players to invest in the state, particularly in the development of large-scale theme parks.

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KL & Putrajaya - Premium Half Day Tour.

Date: 24 November, 2012

KL & Putrajaya - Premium Half Day Tour.

Due to many request about Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya at our email, we now have the above tours available on daily basis. It is for half a day and will probably takes about 4 to 5 hours depending on the road traffic and weather conditions. It starts from 10.00am until about 2 to 3.00pm. The package is valid from Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya areas and we shall do pick-up from your hotel or at selected stops that we have engaged with.

The tour is using a premium vehicle which comforts your journey together with a driver that will also guide you to the places of interest that we have selected in the package inclusion. The package also include a meal plus mineral water for your journey convenience. The package meant for four (4) persons and suitable for friends and family.

Our advise is to do booking with us at least seven (7) days in advanced to secure your Premium Half Day Tour as we have limited vehicle and has been in demand especially during the school holidays. 

In addition, we also do the above for groups with different arrangement on the transfers using van or coaches at a different rate. We believe that the itinerary is suitable for the visit and with limitation of time for you to explore and visit more destination with activity at Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. We know that many travelers especially international tourists spend about less than a week at Peninsular Malaysia before going to other destination surrounding ASEAN. Therefore, it is best that tourists are able to do a tour to Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya; and experience the differences between this two cities. We strongly advise that you have a camera with you to take on photos that will entice you to come back!

We are also able to provide you with itineraries and travelling advise for your trip to Malaysia. We offer many more travel and hospitality services and we do it through our license travel and tour company under Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia.   

Finally, do email us for further information on the above packages at tourismservicesmalaysia@gmail.com and we shall reply to your request.

1Malaysia year-end sale returns with promotions and activities.

Date: 22 November, 2012

1Malaysia year-end sale returns with promotions and activities.

MALAYSIA- The Minister of Tourism, YB Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen has launched the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale (1MYES). The 1MYES, which will be held until 01 January 2013, aims to encourage shoppers from all over the world to come to Malaysia to celebrate the last two months of the year with a fabulous shopping experience.

One of three major shopping seasons in the country, 1MYES is the end-of-year shopping event that ends the year in style. The 1Malaysia GP Sale coincides with the Formula One Grand Prix in KL in March and the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival is held during the summer holidays.

Shopping is a lucrative sector of Malaysia’s tourism industry. It holds the second biggest share of tourist expenditure after accommodation. Last year, tourists spent RM17.5 billion on shopping which constituted 30% of the total receipts of RM58.3 billion. It recorded a growth of 8 percent against the figure in 2010 (RM16.2 billion). In 2000, when the first Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival was organised, shopping only constituted 23.1% of total tourist expenditures.

Foreign tourists and locals alike have 55 days to take advantage of the discounts and special offers put together by various shopping malls nationwide. The shopping malls will host numerous events to make Malaysia the place to go for shopping, fashion and food throughout November and December.

In Kuala Lumpur, the Sungei Wang Plaza shopping mall will offer its visitors a chance to win a pair of Yoga Lin Concert tickets while the Kenanga Wholesale City will organise a treasure hunt to challenge its shoppers. The Mines shopping mall in Seri Kembangan, Selangor will run a competition to win a 2 day, 1 night stay for four at the Golden Palm Villa in Sepang, a gold set from Poh Kong and other prizes. In Penang, a Garfield and Friends Meet & Greet will take place at the Queensbay Mall while the 1st Avenue mall invites shoppers to participate in a kolam design competition to get into the spirit of Deepavali. The East Coast Mall in Kuantan, Pahang has workshops for Christmas clay doll painting, Christmas card decoration, Christmas origami and New Year card design for its visitors. The Boulevard shopping mall and the Imperial mall in Sarawak will entice its visitors with the “Buy & Fly!” Lucky Draw Contest which offers return tickets to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.

MasterCard cardholders will get the opportunity to walk away with instant redemptions and exciting competition prizes at participating malls in Malaysia.

The KL Fashion Weekend will be held on 21 and 22 November 2012 at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. The two-day fashion showcase will present fashion shows featuring new trends for hair, make-up and fashion from the Autumn-Winter 2012/2013 collection. The participating departmental stores include Debenhams and Metrojaya.

Kuala Lumpur has been ranked the second best shopping destination in Asia Pacific – as reported by the latest Global Shopper Index, cementing its position as a shopping paradise. The report stated that Kuala Lumpur’s specific strength is its ability to combine low prices with a good range of products in a large number of stores. It also took note of the Government's mammoth investments in developing KLCC and Bukit Bintang as a “premier shopping precinct in Malaysia”. Twenty five cities in the region were assessed under five categories in the Globe Shopper Index which was created by the Economist Intelligence Unit, commissioned by Switzerland-based shopping tourism company Global Blue.

Positioning Malaysia as a duty-free shopping destination for tourist goods is one of the three Entry Point Projects undertaken to increase shopping receipts to 35 percent by 2020, under the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan.

Imported goods that are not subject to custom duty at all are readily available all over the country and not limited to duty-free zones. Aside from 5 categories of products – cars, glassware, cigarettes, alcohol and chocolates - all other products are tax exempted in Malaysia. Shoppers can look forward to more varieties of imported goods at better prices. This move is part of the Malaysian Government’s efforts to enhance the country’s position as a destination for duty-free shopping. Through this effort, Malaysia hopes to attract a wider range of principal brands to invest in the country. It also facilitates lower and more competitive pricing of imported merchandise, giving Malaysian retailers a competitive edge over retailers in other countries.

By: Vicky Karantzavelou

Copyrights © 1999 - 2012, TravelDailyNews - www.traveldailynews.asia

Melaka Zoo to be privatised.

Date: 22 November, 2012

Melaka Zoo to be privatised.

MELAKA (Nov 21, 2012): The Melaka government will take over management of the Melaka Zoo from the Wildlife and National Park Department by the end of the year, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam. He said the zoo was to be privatised to make it a choice destination for tourists visiting the state.

Mohd Ali said the privatisation initiative would be handled by Wildlife Productions Sdn Bhd, Koperasi Bela Masyarakat Melaka Berhad (Kobemas) and Koperasi Hang Tuah Jaya. He said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry had verbally agreed to the privatisation plan.

"Although the Melaka Zoo is among the best zoos in Malaysia with revenue from ticket collection amounting to more than RM3 million a year, the privatisation will make it more viable, he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting here today.

Following the privatisation, Mohd Ali said the Melaka Zoo would no longer receive the RM4 million subsidy from the federal government. "From then on, its revenue will depend on ticket sales only," he added.

Mohd Ali said the zoo would also be rebranded as 'Melaka Zoo and Night Safari'.

"After the privatisation process, the existing staff at the zoo will be absorbed as contract employees with the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council," he said. – Bernama

Copyright © 2012 Sun Media Corporation Sdn. Bhd.

Tourism sector set to become major contributor.

Date: 20 November 2012

Tourism sector set to become major contributor.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism sector, being the third biggest contributor to the country's economy after manufacturing and palm oil, offers vast employment opportunities. The Tourism industry not only promotes those involved in the sector but compliment the service industry to generate business opportunities and further boost the country's economy as well as enhance people-to-people relations.

According to the Tourism Malaysia statistics, revenue generated from 24.6 million tourist arrivals in 2010 was RM56.5 billion but the figure increased to RM58.3 billion through 24.7 million tourist arrivals last year. The domestic tourism industry has also seen a positive increase as revenue for last increased to 42.3 billion compared with RM34.7 billion in 2010.

Malaysia has also recently earned recognition from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as the ninth most visited country in the world from 2009 to 2011, and ranked 14th in terms of revenue earned from the tourism sector. This year Malaysia has targeted 25 million tourist arrivals and a projected revenue of RM60 billion.

During the 2013 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Sept 28, he also announced 2013/2014 as Visit Malaysia Year to attract 26.8 million tourists. The government also announced a three-year tax exemption incentive for tourism and travel agents who provide services and handle up to 750 foreign tourists or 1,500 domestic tourists.

The focus of the government is to enhance the country's position as a leading foreign tourist destination, while promoting domestic tourism. Opportunities abound for entrepreneurs, business owners and investors who support the government's direction.

The Dean of Universiti Teknologi MARA's (UiTM) Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management Prof Madya Dr Mohamad Abdullah Hemdi views the initiatives as a boost to the tourism sector and those involved in the industry. In order to ensure the government's target of 26.8 million tourist arrivals was achieved, he urged entrepreneurs involved in the industry to grab the opportunities to offer luxurious holiday packages to increase their revenue.

"For Visit Malaysia Year 2013/2014, the concept of providing luxury villas at top resort destinations as an alternative to hotel accommodation as well as an investment portfolio must be adopted. To ensure tourists enjoy their stay here, a variety of tourism products is important, like providing services for tourists to visit Malaysia using helicopters of private jets or even luxury yachts," he told Bernama.

Mohamad Abdullah said initiatives like promoting the unique flora and Fiona found in the tropical forests of Malaysia, cycling around national parks in the country must also be packaged and offered to tourists. Malaysia, a country blessed with rich natural environment and exotic islands has not taken full advantage of the growing demand for luxury retreat villas like Bali in Indonesia and Thailand.

Moving forward, the long-term prospect for Malaysian tourism remains bullish and hospitality developers should take advantage of the surge in demand for private luxury villas, be it for investment purpose or holiday destination.

Recently the country welcomed the opening of an international theme park, LEGOLAND in Johor, which is the first in Asia and one of only six in the world. The state of Johor is also scheduled to launch a few other theme parks this year such as Hello Kitty Town, Little Big Club and Lat themed attraction in Puteri Harbour, while 2014 will see the opening of Ocean Quest and Ocean Splash water parks in Desaru.

Mohamad Abdullah said in efforts to promote tourism and provide human capital for the industry, UiTM offers various courses in various fields related to the tourism industry, adding that 7,746 students were currently pursuing their higher education in their respective fields. "In UiTM, we have training for those involved in the tourism industry like the homestay programme through collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) to enhance their knowledge of tourism products.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Tourism Unit head Norazah Yusof said many luxury hotels have mushroomed in the city to cater for the high demand for luxurious holiday packages. Norazah said the City Hall continuously organise programmes and events to promote the tourism industry, especially in Kuala Lumpur, by offering tourism in the fields of medical, education and hospitality.

She added that since tourists want to experience 'on ground experience' food festivals, culture and traditional programmes that showcase Malaysian culture are organised for them to participate. - Bernama

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