JessiccaMalaysia rolls out red carpet for tourists
September 22nd 2006 16:44
This is a news extracted from Cuti-cuti Malaysia, one of the popular tourism agencies in Malaysia.
Malaysia rolls out red carpet for tourists
news published on September 01, 2006 - by Nazir P.A.
MALAYSIA, a country known for unique multicultural populace and ethnic vibrancy, yesterday staged its largest-ever ‘Merdeka’ — Independence Day — celebrations with much pomp and splendour.
The four-hour-long colourful cultural extravaganza, by some 15,000 participants, including school and college students, armed forces and officials of government departments and agencies representing various sectors like fisheries and space technology, held at Padang Mendeka (Independence Field) along the waterfront and banks of the Sarawak river in Kuching in the morning, was witnessed by King Sirajuddin Ibni Al Marhum, Queen Fauziah, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi, cabinet ministers, ambassadors, dignitaries and media and tourism delegations from different countries of the world.
The performances reflected the spirit of patriotism, unity in diversity, progress and prosperity.
The specific overall theme was, however, ‘Ninth Malaysia Plan enriches the people’.
Freedom fighters and men of eminence from different walks of life and technocrats who contributed to the massive development of the nation were honoured during the ceremony.
“In 2007, we will celebrate the golden anniversary of our independence. This country that we love will turn 50, and this milestone provides us with the opportunity to appreciate the journey that we have taken to build this nation,” said Prime Minister Ahmed Badawi.
A year-long ‘Visit Malaysia 2007’ was also launched as part of the nation’s entry into the 50th year of independence.
“The year-round event will not only mark Malaysia’s 50th year of independence next year but will likewise encourage increased inbound tourism, particularly from the Arab Middle East region,” said Adnan Tengku Mansor, Malaysian tourism minister, during a brief chat after the ceremony with the media men and representatives of the travel and tourism sector from different countries of the world.
Mansor said they were targeting more than 20 million tourists to the country in the golden jubilee year of its independence.
“The Gulf region is a very important market for Malaysian tourism. The number of visitors from this region has risen phenomenally over the last few years, which explains Tourism Malaysia’s enthusiasm to woo more visitors from here,” he said.
Particularly, he mentioned that the unique characteristic of tourists from the Middle East is the fact that they often travel as a family.
“You can see Arab families, for instance composed of around 15 members, travelling together,” he said.
He mentioned that Tourism Malaysia would enter into an aggressive campaign to promote ‘Visit Malaysia 2007’.
Its two-pronged international and domestic campaign aims to make the southeast Asian country a top-of-mind tourist destination, resulting to an increase of foreign tourist arrivals.
The minister noted that they were encouraging partnership with local tourist agents in the region, particularly Dubai for their promotional campaign.
“In Malaysia, we have encouraged the employment of more Arabic-speaking frontliners, the use of Arabic signages in tourist establishments, and we have created a special immigration lane at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for tourists from this region,” he said.
He added the ‘Visit Malaysia 2007’ campaign was expected to raise the awareness of foreign tourists to enable them to plan ahead their holidays to Malaysia.
The number of Arab tourists visiting Malaysia doubled last two years as many shunned traditional holidays in terrorism-obsessed Western countries where Muslim visitors often face visa difficulties.
“This year we are targeting a 40-50 per cent increase,” he said
Hotel and restaurant operators would serve West Asian food and bring Arab cooks to work in the country, while the ‘Arab Street,’ in the capital Kuala Lumpur would offer the Middle East tourists a feel-at-home atmosphere, he said.
Arab-speaking students from the International Islamic University would be deployed at hotels and other popular destinations to improve the service industry.
Arab tourists spent an average of $1,200 per person, almost double than that of any other tourists, he added
Citizens of Commonwealth countries and Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Lichtenstein and San Merino do not require visas to enter Malaysia. Visitors from India and 22 other countries, including Oman, will now be able to get visas on arrival at the international airports in Malaysia. The relaxed rule comes into force today (September 1). The visitors will have to pay 100 ringgit for the single entry, which will be valid for one month.
This move was aimed at providing a boost to the ‘Visit Malaysia Year 2007’ campaign. The arrangement is expected to continue throughout this and next year. All passports should, however, be valid for at least six months beyond the period of one’s stay. Most other European nationals, Americans, Japanese and South Africans do not require visas for limited periods of stay. Most people are given a 30 or 60-day permit on arrival.
The new campaign also targets to promote the country as the “ideal holiday destination for Omanis, the minister said, who, on the sidelines of the Independence Day celebrations, met the Sultanate’s ambassador and the media representative.
Increasing frequency of flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur and the possibility of a direct Muscat-Kuala Lumpur service are also being actively contemplated.
“We want to attract as many tourists as possible from Oman,” he said.
“We see Oman as a potentially good market, and our aim is to transform it from a secondary to a primary market,” he said, adding that between 10,000 and 15,000 tourists were expected from the Sultanate this year and nothing less than an equal number in the golden jubilee year as well, he said.
“We work very closely with Oman Air and there is good cooperation between us,” the deputy director-general of Malaysia Tourism said. Malaysia considered the Middle East as a “high yield market,” because tourists from the region stayed longer and spent more, he added.
“Malaysia is a Muslim country and food is no problem for tourists from the region. It is a safe and choice destination for them as well as cheap,” he stressed.
Tourism is Malaysia’s second-largest foreign exchange earner, grossing about 30 billion ringgit in 2004 from 15 million visitors.
Malaysia rolls out red carpet for tourists
news published on September 01, 2006 - by Nazir P.A.
MALAYSIA, a country known for unique multicultural populace and ethnic vibrancy, yesterday staged its largest-ever ‘Merdeka’ — Independence Day — celebrations with much pomp and splendour.
The four-hour-long colourful cultural extravaganza, by some 15,000 participants, including school and college students, armed forces and officials of government departments and agencies representing various sectors like fisheries and space technology, held at Padang Mendeka (Independence Field) along the waterfront and banks of the Sarawak river in Kuching in the morning, was witnessed by King Sirajuddin Ibni Al Marhum, Queen Fauziah, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmed Badawi, cabinet ministers, ambassadors, dignitaries and media and tourism delegations from different countries of the world.
The performances reflected the spirit of patriotism, unity in diversity, progress and prosperity.
The specific overall theme was, however, ‘Ninth Malaysia Plan enriches the people’.
Freedom fighters and men of eminence from different walks of life and technocrats who contributed to the massive development of the nation were honoured during the ceremony.
“In 2007, we will celebrate the golden anniversary of our independence. This country that we love will turn 50, and this milestone provides us with the opportunity to appreciate the journey that we have taken to build this nation,” said Prime Minister Ahmed Badawi.
A year-long ‘Visit Malaysia 2007’ was also launched as part of the nation’s entry into the 50th year of independence.
“The year-round event will not only mark Malaysia’s 50th year of independence next year but will likewise encourage increased inbound tourism, particularly from the Arab Middle East region,” said Adnan Tengku Mansor, Malaysian tourism minister, during a brief chat after the ceremony with the media men and representatives of the travel and tourism sector from different countries of the world.
Mansor said they were targeting more than 20 million tourists to the country in the golden jubilee year of its independence.
“The Gulf region is a very important market for Malaysian tourism. The number of visitors from this region has risen phenomenally over the last few years, which explains Tourism Malaysia’s enthusiasm to woo more visitors from here,” he said.
Particularly, he mentioned that the unique characteristic of tourists from the Middle East is the fact that they often travel as a family.
“You can see Arab families, for instance composed of around 15 members, travelling together,” he said.
He mentioned that Tourism Malaysia would enter into an aggressive campaign to promote ‘Visit Malaysia 2007’.
Its two-pronged international and domestic campaign aims to make the southeast Asian country a top-of-mind tourist destination, resulting to an increase of foreign tourist arrivals.
The minister noted that they were encouraging partnership with local tourist agents in the region, particularly Dubai for their promotional campaign.
“In Malaysia, we have encouraged the employment of more Arabic-speaking frontliners, the use of Arabic signages in tourist establishments, and we have created a special immigration lane at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for tourists from this region,” he said.
He added the ‘Visit Malaysia 2007’ campaign was expected to raise the awareness of foreign tourists to enable them to plan ahead their holidays to Malaysia.
The number of Arab tourists visiting Malaysia doubled last two years as many shunned traditional holidays in terrorism-obsessed Western countries where Muslim visitors often face visa difficulties.
“This year we are targeting a 40-50 per cent increase,” he said
Hotel and restaurant operators would serve West Asian food and bring Arab cooks to work in the country, while the ‘Arab Street,’ in the capital Kuala Lumpur would offer the Middle East tourists a feel-at-home atmosphere, he said.
Arab-speaking students from the International Islamic University would be deployed at hotels and other popular destinations to improve the service industry.
Arab tourists spent an average of $1,200 per person, almost double than that of any other tourists, he added
Citizens of Commonwealth countries and Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Lichtenstein and San Merino do not require visas to enter Malaysia. Visitors from India and 22 other countries, including Oman, will now be able to get visas on arrival at the international airports in Malaysia. The relaxed rule comes into force today (September 1). The visitors will have to pay 100 ringgit for the single entry, which will be valid for one month.
This move was aimed at providing a boost to the ‘Visit Malaysia Year 2007’ campaign. The arrangement is expected to continue throughout this and next year. All passports should, however, be valid for at least six months beyond the period of one’s stay. Most other European nationals, Americans, Japanese and South Africans do not require visas for limited periods of stay. Most people are given a 30 or 60-day permit on arrival.
The new campaign also targets to promote the country as the “ideal holiday destination for Omanis, the minister said, who, on the sidelines of the Independence Day celebrations, met the Sultanate’s ambassador and the media representative.
Increasing frequency of flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur and the possibility of a direct Muscat-Kuala Lumpur service are also being actively contemplated.
“We want to attract as many tourists as possible from Oman,” he said.
“We see Oman as a potentially good market, and our aim is to transform it from a secondary to a primary market,” he said, adding that between 10,000 and 15,000 tourists were expected from the Sultanate this year and nothing less than an equal number in the golden jubilee year as well, he said.
“We work very closely with Oman Air and there is good cooperation between us,” the deputy director-general of Malaysia Tourism said. Malaysia considered the Middle East as a “high yield market,” because tourists from the region stayed longer and spent more, he added.
“Malaysia is a Muslim country and food is no problem for tourists from the region. It is a safe and choice destination for them as well as cheap,” he stressed.
Tourism is Malaysia’s second-largest foreign exchange earner, grossing about 30 billion ringgit in 2004 from 15 million visitors.
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