Workshop to discuss challenges in technology and marketing trends in tourism industry

Changes and challenges in technology and marketing trends affecting the future of tourism will be discussed at a workshop at the Asia Pacific Tourism, Hospitality and Technology (APTHAT) Conference here on Nov 21 and 22.

The “Shifting Knowledge/Technology and Marketing Trends for the Future of Tourism” workshop will be conducted by Dr Edward Dramberger, a tourism trainer and consultant from New York.

The workshop, on the second day of the conference, will look into global challenges that specifically affect the growth in inbound tourism in South-East Asia and Malaysia.

Among Dramberger’s accomplishments include developing a proven result-oriented selling model – “Compass Selling” – within the tourism sector and publishing a book entitledDestination Diaries this year, which focused on his unique travel experiences around the world. The conference, which will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, aims at identifying opportunities propelled by innovations.

Initiated and organised by UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd, APTHAT is the first ever conference on travel technology and hospitality automation. It is meant for anyone in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Programmes for the inaugural conference will include conference, workshops, master-classes, buyer seller sessions, hotel inspections and exhibitions.

Among the objectives of the conference is to prepare travel and tourism industrialists to be resilient in the competitive market that is technology driven. It is also to introduce them to the latest gadgets.

Apart from gathering industry experts and players from within the Asia Pacific region to the conference, UCSI Communications also hopes the event could further enhance the state’s effort in making Sarawak a MICE (meeting, incentive, conference and exhibitions) destination in Malaysia. UCSI Communications is hoping to attract some 300 participants to the conference.

Tourism Malaysia Director-General Datuk Mirza Mohammad Tayeb has consented to deliver the keynote address at the conference.

A total of six papers will be presented along with six workshops and two master-classes.

Tourist from Singapore is up 11.5%

Tourist arrivals from Singapore between January and May this year recorded consistent growth over the same period last year, says Tourism Malaysia director for Singapore, Noor Aine Ismail.

"To date, we have received a total of 5,209,286 tourist arrivals from Singapore, an overall increase of 11.5 per cent in arrivals," she said, according to Bernama.

"Last year, we welcomed about 13.01 million tourists from Singapore - a drop of 2.75 per cent from 2011.

"This drop was mainly due to the change in statistics calculation, which was based on 'Country of Origin' instead of 'Country of Residence'," she said at the Tourism Malaysia Media Night in Singapore.

TAXI FARE REVIEW BY SPAD

The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is reviewing taxi fares and has indicated a possible increase in the near future.

SPAD was studying the costs incurred by taxi drivers taking into account the operational costs (of taxi drivers)

SPAD  was also looking into an “accreditation programme” which would become a future requirement for cabbies to enable better taxi services.

This was announced by PM Najib in his speech before presenting 500 Taxi 1Malaysia (Teks1m) individual licences to the cabbies. They were part of a group of 1,000 drivers chosen out of 19,117 Teks1m applicants earlier this year.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said the fare review was almost at its final stage although it is not declared on what kind of increase would be involved.

However, he said SPAD hoped to present the review before the Government by the end of the year, adding that the implementation might take place by that time or at the beginning of next year.


The current flag-off rate for Malaysian taxis is RM3, with 10 sen charged for every subsequent 100m. The last review was in 2009.


The real problem with the taxi service is not so much of the fare, rather not using the fare meter by taxi drivers. Negotiations need to be carried out before jumping into the taxi and in some cases drivers will refuse to take passenger to areas where it is unlikely he will get a return passenger.

RM 250 MILLION FOR TOURISM ?

The Government has agreed to allocate RM250mil to deepen the Sungai Besut estuary to boost fishing and tourism industries here.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had approved the allocation Monday, expected to be implemented early next year.

This announcement came at the right time  and in the midst of Kuala Besut by-election. Many things can be said at this time to win votes. But one has to be realistic about this and consider if that amount of money can be put to better use.

As we all know the sleepy hollow of Kuala Besut need better tourism facilities as it is the staging point for tours to the many islands around Pulau Perhentian.

The project to deepen the estuary of Sungai Besut, which had long been requested, at can be better carried out by ensuring that  logging and other environmental issues be solved upstream.

The government can also consider awarding a contract to a sand miner  who will be allowed to deepen the estuary and sell the sand to a suitable buyer. This will enable a alotted sum of RM250mil be used to facilitate fishermen and tourists in other more meaningful ways.

AN EGM AFTER AN AGM ?

The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) is planning an Extraordinary General Meeting to resolve a dispute at its annual general meeting (AGM) held last week, reported The Star a few days ago.

Some parties were not satisfied with the association's 38th AGM’s election process held on June 29 at PWTC.said the outgoing Hon Treasurer Razali Mohd Sham, who lost his bid for the Presidency.

“We’re investigating complaints and the election  is a normal procedure,” he said, adding that there was a “flaw” in the process.

MATTA’s executive council would have met on Wednesday to discuss the issue. He said the subject of MATTA’s AGM was still on hold pending “verification”, adding that fresh elections were likely to be held.

He said that there was also a dispute involving the accounts of one of MATTA’s chapters.
According to a June 14 notice on its website, the MATTA AGM was supposed to have, aside from discussing previous AGM minutes, deliberated on matters on its executive council for the 2013-2015 period.
It also sought to appoint a firm of chartered accountants as external auditors.

In an entry on the MATTA website, president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said he would be stepping down after four years in office.This is something he has to do as the ocnstitution of MATTA does not allow a person to hold office more than two terms. Datuk Khalid would love to stay on if he could.

He would assume the association’s Immediate Past President post and continue to be in MATTA’s executive council and be ready to answer questions which were not allowed to be raised during the AGM.

RAMADAN - THE WORLD'S BEST-KEPT HEALTH & WELLNESS SECRET

The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan is a 30-day timeout from the stress and pressure of daily life. 

The value of fasting in some shape or form is recognised in Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and other religions. Health & wellness practitioners know it can be just as beneficial as yoga, ayurveda, meditation and massage therapies. 

Indeed, if done right, a 30-day fast is the ultimate opportunity to destress and detox as well as refresh, rebuild, replenish, rejuvenate, rethink, restructure and review life as a whole. 

Want to know more? Imtiaz Muqbil, the Executive Editor of Travel Impact Newswire, is happy to share some enlightening thoughts and experiences. 

Email him here: imtiaz@travel-impact-newswire.com.

RAMADAN IS HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G-t72JjRf0

WHEN IS RAMADAN

For some of us it is important to know when is Ramadan in order that we can plan special tours for groups during this holy month..

Ramadan in 2013 will start on Tuesday, the 9th of July and will continue for 30 days until Wednesday, the 7th of August.

Based on sightability of the new moon in Malaysia,  Ramadan will start a day later - on Wednesday, the 10th of July.

It is important to note that in the Muslim calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Monday, the 8th of July.

Although Ramadan is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This difference means Ramadan moves in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The date of Ramadan may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.

The dates provided are based on the dates adopted by the Fiqh Council of Malaysia for the celebration of Ramadan. Note that these dates are based on astronomical calculations to affirm each date, and not on the actual sighting of the moon with the naked eyes. This approach is accepted by many, but is still being hotly debated.

In Malaysia Ramadan packages are still confined to "majlis berbuka puasa". Hotels are offering special buka puasa packages which ae very popular especially at the tail end of the month.

In Indonesia hotels offer special room packages in the month of Ramadan which include buka puasa and sahur.

HERITAGE EVENT IN PENANG

MORE PLANES TO BOOST TOURISM

Great news for people traveling out of Subang airport. Community airline Firefly has taken delivery of the first of 20 ATR72-600 turboprop aircraft it ordered last December, bringing the total number of aircraft in its fleet to 13. The other 12 aircraft in the Firefly fleet are the 70-seater ATR72-500s.

 

The ATR72-600s will be delivered in phases within the next five to six years. Besides the 20 confirmed orders, Firefly has an option to acquire 16 more of the ATR72-600s.

 

Firefly chief executive officer Ignatius Ong received the aircraft from ATR chief executive officer Filippo Bagnato in a simple ceremony here.

The aircraft was ferried home out of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport yesterday. The flight will make four stops - three night stops in Greece, Oman and Maldives and one refuelling stop in Bahrain - before arriving Subang Airport on Sunday evening. The new aircraft will begin operations on July 12 to Johor Baru.

 

Ong said the new aircraft is part of Firefly's growth and expansion plan “as well as our continuous effort to serve our customers better”. “Our exclusive ATR72 fleet has allowed us to develop a unique high frequency network out of Subang, Penang and Johor Baru. The ATR aircraft are unrivalled in terms if passenger comfort and environmentally friendliness. This will further improve guests' experience."

 

The wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines currently operates out of Subang and Penang, connecting secondary destinations within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand growth triangle as well as providing air linkages between Malaysia and Singapore.

 

MATTA NEW LEADERSHIP

Finally the long awaited news has arrived, a change in MATTA leadership. The travel industry is delighted to hear that HAMZAH Rahmat was elected president at the recently concluded 38th annual general meeting of the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) last weekend. Hamzah is not a new kid on the block but had some years of experience in MATTA and we hope he will not inherit the bad habits of the old guard..

But having Jeffri Sulaiman as his deputy may cause some concern amongst members who wants to see a cleaner and transparent MATTA management. Jeffri has been a part and parcel of the old guard known to have discriminate some members and even have interpreted the constitution to suit their whims and fancy.There have y cases of abuse of power and financial mismanagement.

 

According to MATTA constitution, Hamzah will hold the post of president-in-waiting until the handover meeting, which must be called within four weeks from the date of the annual general meeting.

 

In his maiden press statement, Hamzah said: “During my tenure, I will ensure there is regular dialogue with other tourism-related associations towards strengthening the tourism industry, proactively engage members at all levels (by) listen(ing) to their needs and champion(ing) their causes to uphold the constitution at all times, to realign our policies, to manage our resources properly and transparently for the ultimate benefit of our members.”

 

Hamzah was the former secretary-general of MATTA and Jeffri was the vice president-outbound.

CAN MELAKA BE THE MECCA FOR TOURISTS

The city of Melaka  is not yet a mecca for tourists. Can this happen someday ?

 The Portugese, the Dutch and the British have come, seen and conquered. When will the rest of the world be here.

The next set of notable tourists were in buses who came down from Singapore to see Jongker Street and accidentally  managed to terminally vandalise a prominent local resident, one Encik Mahmud who claimed that he was the Sultan.

The newly appointed Chief Minister wants to re-invented tourism for Melaka and he has to be very careful here.

The news coverage of this simple act of closing Jongker Street promoted the tourist trade for the City. People would come from far and wide to visit Melaka, and Jongker Street vendors proceeded to rip them off by selling them cheap trinkets ( made in China )that they could attach to their anoraks to prove that they had been here.



Tourism continued to thrive here until a certain claimant to the Melaka Sultante decided that enough was enough. Basically, for several hundred years, all these tourists had been taking the gold leaf that was used to wrap their Kit Kat bars and sticking it on this big box in the Chinese temple in the area.  The tourist trade in old city of Melaka will be finished some day if conservation is not carried out continuosly.

Loads of time passed and the tourist trade have begun to pick up. This was helped by the former Chief Minister who came here as a tourist and wanted to build a railway line from Tampin to Melaka Sentral, that was notable in that it had the first railway tunnel and truly cho-cho in motion.

We were told that the new Chief Minister wants to pedestrianised the city to enable the tourists to walk about more freely. This is a GOOD THING. Keep up the good work.

JONGKER STREET SHOULD BE CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC

Jonker street as described by most travel writers as  a very attractive place in Melaka and a must visit area of the historical importance to visit at any time of the day..  There is more happening on the street on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at night but is not quite busy throughout the day as well since Melaka was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2008.

Now the streets are lined with souvenir shops selling goods not indigenous of Melaka,in addition to the traditional restaurants that have staked claim here for decades.  Foods and drinks found here that are worth trying include; Hai Nan coffee, cendol, laksa, and so on are recommended.

The problem is really about traffic congestion and is not pedestrian friendly.

It is therefore deemed proper that the Melaka government has decided to part close the area to solve this problem. In fact the place is better off as a pedestrian mall and no more cars or vehicles should be allowed into the area. The local government should also consider not allowing traffic into the heritage areas. They should only allow tourists be dropped off at certain areas nearby.

WHAT ABOUT JONGKER STREET ?

Last  Sunday, some 100 traders from the affected Jongker Street night market held a walkabout protest along Jonker Street to voice their unhappiness at the state’s decision to close the street to ease traffic congestion.. These are traders selling souvenir items which has no tourism value for Melaka as they are made in China or Hongkong.

 The Tourism Ministry has meanwhile urged the Malacca state government to reconsider its decision to close the Jonker Street night market, in light of its significance to the tourism industry.

“I would certainly want to see Jonker Street remain,” said its minister Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

The Minister went on to say“What is Malacca without tourism?”

Nazri should also comment on the dumping of China and Hongkong goods along Jongker street. Is this good for our tourism industry.

The recent announcement by Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Wira Idris Haron on the closing of the Jonker Street night market has its merit if it is to scale down the sale of stupid tourism souvenir items from China and Hongkong.

The night market, which operates on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, comprises some 300 traders and has become an international tourist attraction since its opening 13 years ago.

That the decision to open the street on weekends was due to the numerous complains over traffic congestion in the area.

HAZE NOT A PROBLEM ?

To say that the worsening of the haze situation as the smog moves north in Malaysia will not affect tourism arrival is an understatement.  Major inbound travel agencies in Kuala Lumpur had said there had been no cancellations or postponements in bookings so far.

The Air Pollutant Index (API), Malaysia’s version of the Pollutant Standards Index, hit critical levels over the weekend, prompting Prime Minister Najib to declare a state of emergency in Muar and Ledang in Johor on Sunday after API readings crossed 750, according to local newspaper.

Most inbound agents are saying that “Forward bookings from the Indian market are still coming in for Diwali and the year-end winter holiday season.”.

 “There are no cancellations because of the haze. However, we are keeping our partner consultants informed of the situation. There are still bookings coming in until July 10,  after which movement is slow during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Post-Eid bookings are still coming in.

“We are running tours as normal and these are mainly to Kuala Lumpur, Sunway Lagoon Theme Park, Resorts World Genting, Langkawi and Penang.”

Diethelm Travel Malaysia, which handles traffic from the European inbound market, revealed that tours were running as usual on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. “However, we are receiving fewer forward bookings from Europe for July and August,” they observed.

Malaysia Airlines yesterday issued a press statement warning passengers of possible last-minute cancellations and retimings due to the “current haze situation which had deteriorated in parts of Malaysia over the last few days”.

It further stated that specific stations were under close watch for possible closure or interruptions, namely Kuantan’s Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport, Kota Baru’s Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, Kuala Terengganu’s Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

WHAT ABOUT MALACCA AIRPORT ?

Continuous efforts are being carried out to increase flights into and out of Johor Bharu.

Firefly will introduce weekly scheduled service between Johor and Pekanbaru in Indonesia through a special promotion from Aug 1, 2013 to July 31, 2014 at the three-day 13th Malaysia International Travel Mart 2013 at Plaza Grand Sentosa in Johor Bahru.

 

Firefly's chief executive officer Ignatius Ong said the airline was targeting both business and leisure travellers out of Johor Baharu.

 

"We intend to provide Johorians a smarter travel option, especially with Hari Raya just around the corner. Complementing the direct access is the convenient travel time into both cities at reasonable rates and excellent customer service," he said in a statement, here, Thursday.

 

Firefly will use its ATR 72-500 turbo prop aircraft, which has a seating capacity of 72 on this route.

 

This is Firefly's first international turboprop operation out of Johor with the aim of bringing Malaysians and Indonesians closer, whether for the purpose of business or leisure.

 

This service will be available four times a week, departing from Johor at 10.20am and arriving at Pekanbaru at 10.40am. The return flight leaves Pekanbaru at 11.00am and arrives in Johor at 1.20pm.

If this flight schedule becomes workable for Johor Bahru it should also work for the recently refurbished airport of Malacca. In fact it should work out well for Malacca as it is the closest to Pekan Baru and Dumai. Malacca can be a gateaway from tourism coming from the islands of Riau, Sumatera.

 

ALL TALK BUT NO ACTION

In April 1999, ASEAN adopted a “zero-burning” policy and urged all Member Countries to implement the necessary laws and regulations to enforce this major decision. Following this, ASEAN convened a number of dialogue sessions with plantation companies as part of the effort to promote the zero burning policy among plantation owners and timber concessionaires. These dialogue sessions sought to inform and raise awareness on zero burning practices and techniques among plantation companies, and establish a regular forum in sustaining the dialogue sessions with plantation companies. ASEAN plans to organise more of such dialogue sessions regularly to further raise awareness and share experience on zero burning practices.

ASEAN has published the Guidelines for the Implementation of the ASEAN Policy on Zero Burning, and the Guidelines for the Implementation of Controlled Burning Practices. A Workshop on the Guidelines for the Implementation of the ASEAN Policy on Zero Burning was conducted in July 2004 in Kuala Rompin, Malaysia. Plantation companies, timber concessionaires, relevant associations from Malaysia and Indonesia, international organisations, representatives from ASEAN Member Countries and ASEAN Secretariat, participated in the workshop.

A second workshop was held in Kuala Rompin, Pahang, Malaysia on 18-20 July 2006 to promote the ASEAN Policy on Zero Burning and the implementation of zero burning techniques among practitioners in plantation companies, timber concessionaires, fire experts and regulatory agencies as well as fire prevention management. The workshop was attended by representatives from Malaysian plantation companies, ASEAN Member Countries, ASEAN Secretariat and international organisations.

HEALTHCARE TOURISM

By Saraswathi Muniaappan

 

NEW DELHI, June 25 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Heathcare Travel Council (MHTC) is planning to move into the second stage of its marketing effort in South Asia by wooing general practitioners (GPs), its Senior Manager (Business Development) Wong Toon Keng said. "Earlier, it was all about making MHTC more visible. Now, we want to hard sell," he said.

 

Approaching GPs is among the best options, as patients would often follow their advice, he told Bernama in an interview.  "There is also an option for patient exchange, which is another big market that can be tapped into," he said. MHTC plans to organise an event to gather the GPs and create awareness among them, said Wong.

 

Asked why Indians seek medical treatment in Malaysia, he said it is an option, there are obviously top-notch hospitals and doctors in this region too, but some people might want to go overseas as a matter of choice.  One issue is the demand outstripping the supply, he said. "Sometimes it can also be for convenience, for instance if their kids are working and residing in Malaysia," he said.

 

The potential in India is enormous, he said, pointing out that a total of 22,350 healthcare travellers from India come to Malaysian hospitals for treatments related to cardiology, oncology, orthopaedic and health screening.

 

Recently, a leading medical tourism portal added Malaysia to a list of top centres in Asia for advanced healthcare.

 

The "Destinations" page featuring myMEDholiday.com's newest location includes a summary on Malaysia as a medical tourism haven, the country's top hospitals and clinics and the highly qualified doctors and specialists  It looks at some of Malaysia's better-known fields of expertise such as cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, infertility treatment and reconstructive surgery.

 

-- BERNAMA

EFFECT OF HAZE ON TOURISM

The Malaysian government  has declared a state of emergency in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor due to the rising PSI in these areas. This is timely and is good for the people but certainly bad for tourism.

 Haze effect on tourism, and other business activities are unimaginable. When there are too many particles and smoke accumulates in the atmosphere, it will turn to brownish  causing low level of visibility  causing the cancellation of a great number of flight leaving and arriving . 

Therefore prolonged  haze will effect tourism, business trading and other local businesses. It is too late to point fingers at each other.

Just get on with the job of smothering the fires and let us live our lives again and the tourist arrival remain unaffected. by this catastrophy.

HEALTH EFFECTS OF HAZE

The health effects of haze are mainly caused by the irritant effects of fine dust particles on the nose, throat, airways, skin and eyes. The health effects of haze will depend on its severity as measured by the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI). There is also individual variation regarding the ability to tolerate air pollution. Most people would at most experience sneezing, running nose, eye irritation, dry throat and dry cough from the pollutants. They are mild and pose no danger to the health of the general population.

However, persons with medical problems like asthma, chronic lung disease, chronic sinusitis and allergic skin conditions are likely to be more affected by the haze and they may experience more severe symptoms. Children and the elderly in general are more likely to be affected. For some, symptoms may worsen with physical activities.

For persons under medical treatment, it is important that they take their medication regularly. Persons with chronic heart and lung problems are advised not to engage in outdoor sporting activities if the PSI is above 100. There is otherwise no need to take extraordinary precautions.
What to do when you have a haze induced health problem:

The current haze related health problems are generally mild and can be treated easily. Eye irritation may be relieved by applying normal saline eyedrops which can be purchased from any pharmacy or medicine shop. Persons wearing contact lenses who experience eye irritation are advised to discontinue wearing contact lenses temporarily. Mild sneezing, running nose, dry throat and dry cough can be relieved by cold tablets or cough mixture, obtainable from any pharmacy where the pharmacist's advice can be sought.

Persons whose symptoms do not improve or have worsened should see their a doctor or go to a government clinic.

TRAVEL AGENTS CONTRIBUTION

There is a popular belief that the business of the travel agency is a sunset one as direct internet booking is becoming increasing popular. Most people book directly for plane seats and hotel rooms and there is virtully no need to see a travel agent.

However Malaysia Airlines has reported that  travel agents contributed 60 per cent to the airline's revenue in Peninsular Malaysia last year. For 2012, the travel trade saw a revenue growth of 4.1 per cent whilst passenger numbers increased by 5.6 per cent.

 

Malaysia Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said the travel trade was the key business partners, both in generating revenue for Malaysia Airlines and in making customers' travel hassle free.

 

"The world becomes more complex and customers turn to travel agents who act as travel concierges and consultants, to make their travel hassle free," he said said in a statement today.

 

Recently, Malaysia Airlines hosted the annual Travel Agents Awards Dinner 2013 to recognise the success of 74 travel agencies from the central region including Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Perak.

 

Special 'RSVP Awards' were also presented to agents which had shown the highest improvement in sales for front-end revenue and revenue growth for both international and domestic.

Thank you Malaysia Airlines for keeping the travel agency business alive.

PENANG RATU KEBAYA

Auditions for the Ratu Kebaya Contest will begin today and tommrow.22nd& 23rd June at Bukit Jambul Complex For the fourth consecutive time, Kompleks Bukit Jambul is organizing the Ratu Kebaya contest. The contest aims to promote the Kebaya as part of Malaysia’s cultural heritage. The participation is open to all nationalities. KBJ RATU KEBAYA 2013 will kick off with Auditions on the 22nd & 23rd June 2013 scheduled to start from 5.30pm and followed by Semi Final on Friday, 28th June 2013 scheduled to start from 6.30pm. The Grand Final of KBJ RATU KEBAYA 2013 will be held on 30th June 2013 at 6.30pm. KBJ RATU KEBAYA 2013 is supported by MYDIN HYPERMARKET Kompleks Bukit Jambul, KAMDAR Kompleks Bukit Jambul, NH TWO Enterprise Kompleks Bukit Jambul, Barkath Store, VINSTELLA JEWELLERY SDN BHD,CABLEMASTER Kompleks Bukit Jambul, COSMIC LEISURE SIMULATOR Kompleks Bukit Jambul, DANAI SPA Tanjung Bunga, Lone Pine Hotel Penang, Hotel Royal Penang, Eastin Hotel Penang, Shoe Point, Studio Gaya Dunia Kompleks Bukit Jambul, Pastel Hair Studio, Total Life  All the Kebaya worn by the participants are sponsored by our boutiques at Kompleks Bukit Jambul; which are Butik Ronna RNT, Butik Indah Anggun, and Butik Impian Hawa are all located at second floor, Kompleks Bukit Jambul.  The Winners of KBJ RATU KEBAYA 2013 will receive the following: 2nd Place    : Trophy, Sash, Cash & Kinds worth RM3,000.00 3rd Place     : Trophy, Sash, Cash & Kinds worth RM2,000.00 KBJ RATU KEBAYA 2013 also offers great incentives in terms of CASH & PRIZES to the 6 SUBSIDIARY TITLE winners. Finals will be held on 30th June. For further details, kindly contact Rohani at 04-645 6788 or 019-428 6181

NG YEN YEN WONT BUDGE

Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek President of MCA has come to the rescue of former tourism minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen who has assumed the post of Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) chairman, defying a party directive not to accept government posts.

Dr CD Chua as he is known amongst the Chinese community was reported as saying today that the rule applied only to new appointments and not those made before the May 5 general election.. So how could Ng Yen Yen be appointed before May 5 when she was still a Minister. Can a Minister hold two posts on the same Ministry is the question of the day.

It could not be immediately ascertained when the appointment was made, but Tourism Malaysia officials said Ng Yen Yen  had appointed herself chairman before the dissolution of Parliament in April, after she was told she would not be fielded in the election. Raub was happy about this but there was a lot of sadness in Tourism Malaysia.

"However, when news of her appointment was leaked, she was subjected to criticism and ridicule in blogs. She subsequently rescinded the appointment by revoking the letter," said an MTPB officer. There was a big write up about this yesterday in THE SUN.

Sources said that even if she had been appointed prior to May 5, it would be wrong in principle because "the minister cannot appoint herself."

With Ng Yen Yen everything is possible. Visit Malaysia 2014 has in store for a lot splurging. Good luck to all if she remain in Tourism Malaysia

THE DEFIANT NG YEN YEN

Former tourism minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has assumed the post of Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) chairman, defying a party directive not to accept government posts.
The MCA vice-president's decision brings her into direct confrontation with party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who insists that everyone adhere to MCA's decision not to accept the posts.
(Chua was reported as saying today that the rule applied only to new appointments and not those made before the May 5 general election.)
It could not be immediately ascertained when the appointment was made, but Tourism Malaysia officials said Ng had appointed herself chairman before the dissolution of Parliament in April, after she was told she would not be fielded in the election.
"However, when news of her appointment was leaked, she was subjected to criticism and ridicule in blogs. She subsequently rescinded the appointment by revoking the letter," said an MTPB officer.
Sources said that even if she had been appointed prior to May 5, it would be wrong in principle because "the minister cannot appoint herself."
Ng replaces the ministry's former secretary-general, Datuk Victor Wee, whose tenure as chairman ended on May 5.
Ng did not return calls made by theSun but sources said she "had already inspected the chairman's office" before she left the ministry just before the general election.
Chua could not be reached for comment.
The same officer said Ng had expected to start as chairman on Monday with an official "welcome on board" reception from senior officials including Director-General Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg and his deputy, Datuk Azizan Noordin.
However, both are overseas and will only be back over the weekend. She is, therefore, expected to report for work next Monday.
Mirza is said to be accompanying Tourism Minister Datuk Nazri Aziz on an official visit to New Zealand.

- theSun

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

With high environmental awareness these days, it would be great to see good practices in every aspect of our lives – even when we’re on vacation. Wild Asia keeps a tab on things.

THE Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards are back, and any Asia-based accommodation provider or tour operator committed to sustainability are eligible to submit their entry, until May 23.

Launched in 2006, and now in their seventh year, Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Awards 2013 are open to accommodation and tour operators of all shapes and sizes, budgets and locations, across Asia.

Wild Asia is legally chartered as a Malaysian company and operates as a “social enterprise”; that is to say a business with primarily social or environmental missions and not geared towards maximising shareholder returns.

The awards are grounded in the UN World Tourism Organisation’s Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria and remain the only Asia-wide awards committed to recognising sustainable tourism. To date, the 2013 edition has seen more than 200 entries.

For the finalists of the awards, the accolade and recognition validates their efforts in practising responsible tourism. The 2013 Awards’ winners will be announced at Asia’s biggest business-to-business travel trade show, ITB Asia, in Singapore this October.

An international panel of judges, all with a minimum of 10 years’ experience in the tourism business, will select the winners. The panel includes representatives from prestigious platforms such as the International Ecotourism Society, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Sustainable Travel International, and the Pacific Asia Travel Organisation or PATA.

Each one of the finalists will undergo rigorous judging and have a full report published on the Wild Asia website highlighting their achievements and why they were selected. There are six categories and all but one are for accommodation providers.

The categories include Community Engagement and Development; Cultural Preservation; Protection of Natural Areas and/or Wildlife Conservation; Resource Efficiency; Most Inspiring Responsible Tourism Accommodation Provider (which recognises the accommodation provider that excels in all of the above categories).

Last but not least is the Most Inspiring Responsible Tour Operator, which is a new category.
n Go to tourism.wildasia.org to download the application form.

 – S.S. Yoga

MELAKA RIVER FESTIVAL

Event Of Melaka River Festival

NATIONAL
27 MAY 2013 GREEN TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH)	28 MAY 2013 GREEN TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH)	29 MAY 2013 FLORAL & AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT SALE 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH)
30 MAY 2013 FLORAL & AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT SALE 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH)	31 MAY 2013 WALFARE DEPARTMENT EXHIBITION 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (DATARAN SUNGAI MELAKA)	01 JUNE 2013 DECORATIVE LIGHTED BOAT 8.00 PM - 12.00 PM (MELAKA RIVER)
02 JUNE 2013 DECORATIVE LIGHTED BOAT COMPETITION 8.00 PM - 12.00 PM (MELAKA RIVER)	03 JUNE 2013 TRISHAW & ARTIST PERFORMANCE 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (DATARAN SG. MELAKA)	06 JUNE 2013 HEALTH CAMPAIGN & AWARENESS - 10,000 STEPS TOWARDS HEALTHY LIFE - NON - SMOKING DAY 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (DATARAN SUNGAI MELAKA)
07 JUNE 2013 HEALTH CAMPAIGN & AWARENESS - 10,000 STEPS TOWARDS HEALTHY LIFE - NON - SMOKING DAY 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (DATARAN SUNGAI MELAKA)	08 JUNE 2013 FISHING COMPETITION 9.00 AM - 5.00 PM (DATARAN 1MALAYSIA )NASYID FESTIVAL 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH) MALAYSIAN ROYAL ARMY TATU 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (HANG TUAH STADIUM)	09 JUNE 2013 POEM RECITAL & ARTS APPRECIATION NIGHT 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (DATARAN SUNGAI MELAKA)
10 JUNE 2013 PATRIOTIC SONG COMPETITION 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH)	11 JUNE 2013 COOKING COMPETITION WITH CELEBRITY CHEF 9.00 AM - 05.00 PM (DATARAN SUNGAI MELAKA)	19 JUNE 2013 FESTIVAL POEM 9.00 PM - 12.00 PM (TAMAN REMPAH)

TOURISM HAS NO POLITICAL DIVIDE

When it comes to tourism politician of both sides speak the same languange.PKR Women National vice-president Voon Shiak Ni said the government should ensure that all tourist attractions are properly developed and promoted before calling for more direct flights to the state. She said while the call for more direct flights to the state was timely but the development and promotion of more tourist attractions in the state was also long overdue.

 

“The direct flights to facilitate tourist arrivals to Sarawak must be carried out together with the creation of more tourist destinations and their promotions worldwide have to be enhanced,” she said.

 

Voon was responding to a statement by Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg saying that the state needed more direct flights when he met with Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz. “Tourists want direct flights, point-to-point destinations since it is convenient for them. If that can be done, I’m confident that Malaysia can be a haven for tourists,” he told Nazri at Kubah Ria recently.

 

Abang Johari said the state has better infrastructure than countries like Bali and Indonesia, adding that with direct flights, the state could tap into the expanding market of the tourism industry.

 

Voon claimed that despite the state being blessed with all the scenic natural beauty, caves, hills, greeneries and waterfalls, not many of them were developed to achieve international standards. She said it is important for the state government to seriously look into the matter considering that the state would be able lure to tourists from around the world only if proper development and promotion were done on all the tourist attractions.

 

“The feedbacks we received from tourism players are that there are in fact many more tourist attractions that we can develop and promote apart from just Sarawak Cultural Village, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and Annah Rais Longhouse. “Some foreign tourists even commented that there was too little to see in Sarawak.”

 

Voon suggested the government to seriously develop and upgrade the tourist attractions such as the caves in Bau and Siniawan, the natural beaches in Sematan and Lundu and Padawan area to cater for overseas tourists. “At the moment, most of them such as the Wind Cave and Fairy Cave in Bau, the waterfalls in Matang and Serian are only frequented by locals.

COUNCIL OF ASIAN SHOPPING CENTRES (CASC) CONFERENCE 2013

 

REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN for COUNCIL OF ASIAN SHOPPING CENTRES (CASC) CONFERENCE 2013

themed The Future of Asian Malls, What’s Next ? to be held at

SUNWAY RESORT HOTEL & SPA, BANDAR SUNWAY, PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA on 27 - 29 NOVEMBER 2013.

  This shopping mall conference will feature international speakers from the Asia-Pacific region and well experienced mall management 'gurus' sharing their knowledge, you just cannot afford to miss.

The conference fees are certainly affordable and includes, at no extra charge, specially arranged technical visits to prominent malls in Malaysia and a Welcome Dinner which will be a wonderful opportunity for networking with fellow practitioners from all over Asia.

The conference fees which are as follows:

  

	Category 1 (for affiliated members)	Category 2 (for non-members)
Early Bird (on or before 13 Sept 2013) Single Registration	RM 2,399 (US$ 799)	RM 2,899 (US$ 999)
Early Bird (on or before 13 Sept 2013) Group discounted rate (Min. 3 pax from the same co.)	RM 2,199 (US$ 699)	RM 2,699 (US$ 899)
Normal Rate ( on or after 14 Sept 2013) Single Registration	RM 2,899 (US$ 999)	RM 3,499 (US$ 1,099)
Normal Rate (on or after 14 Sept 2013) Group discounted rate (min. 3 pax from the same co.)	RM 2,699 (US$ 899)	RM 3,199 (US$ 999)

 

 

Members from affiliated associations will be entitled to the preferred conference fee under Category 1 at RM2,399 (early bird) and RM2,899 (normal rate) per delegate. Details of the conference are also available from  website: ppkm.org.my or via this link: http://www.ppkm.org.my/news-events/announcements.aspx

For more information please contact Ms Faridah/Mr Murali/Ms Evelyn at PPKM  Secretariat (Tel: 603-7727 6202/email: ppkmalaysia1984@gmail.com OR casc.malaysia.2013@gmail.com.)

The early bird deadline of 13 September 2013 for the best deal !

EURASIAN FIESTA 2013

Today is saturday 15 June 2013 and some of us are already on the road heading for Penang, just 4 hours away from Kuala Lumpur.


When in Penang head for St Xavier’s Branch School at Jalan Brother James.

 Starting 5 pm you will enjoy an evening of delicious Eurasian food and music at the Eurasian Fiesta 2013.  The fiesta is expecting around 3,000 visitors this year and not the 1 million expected for the Putrajaya event.

It is open to all with free admission. A lively celebration of the rich Eurasian heritage with plenty of Eurasian food and drinks, as well as arts, handicrafts and books for sale.

 A host of bands will also be entertaining visitors that evening and the list includes The Russell Curtis Band, Blister, Volatile, The Eddie Zachariah Band, Somebody Who, The Rozzels, Elvira Arul, 9 lives and others. Aside from food, music plays an integral part of the Eurasian community and they are often proud of their musical heritage. Penang Eurasians has produced many musical talents back in the day such as Jimmy Boyle, Joe Rozells, Larry Rodrigues and more.

 Other highlights include a competition to find the best sugee cake, a heritage photo exhibition and a Eurasian Biz Kids Lemonade stall.

This will be  worth your time and money and you will get to know our Eurasian brothers and sisters better.

NOTHING LESS THAN A MILLION

One million visitors are expected to throng the nine-day event, said Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. Nothing has been said about who these people are. Certainly not the tourists.

We know for a fact that most of the tourists now in Malaysia are not aware of this event simply because they have not been informed or the hotels they are staying do not publise the event. Travel agents are too busy organsing their outbound groups that the ones back home are forgotten.

Popularly known as the “Magic of the Night”, 14 flotillas decked in colourful flowers and lights will cruise through a 3km stretch of the Putrajaya Lake from June 22.. There will be an explosion of colours and flowers when the annual floral boat parade makes a comeback next week

 

The boats will sail along the lake until June 30 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm before the anchor is dropped for a static display until 11.30pm every night.

 

The event is organised in conjunction with the “Putrajaya Floria” flora festival, which takes place in the day during the same period. “There will be a five-minute fireworks display every night at the end of the cruise parade but on the first night, there will be an additional 45-second display of fireworks,” Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri said in a press conference here yesterday.

 

EASIER SAID THAN DONE

Ready to compromise on the reported delay in the opening of klia2, frills-free carrier AirAsia Bhd is now urging Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd to issue a definite delayed opening date of the new low-cost airport.

 

According to Bernama, AirAsia Chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar said Malaysia Airports, as the airport operator, has the responsibility to notify the airlines using KLIA2 of a definite opening date, to enable them to be ready to move operations to the new airport.

 

"The operations cannot be shifted in one night. We need to be prepared on our side also. For that, an opening date has to be announced. The airlines, passengers and the whole country want to know the new date. So I hope Malaysia Airports does not delay much longer to come up with the revised date," he told Bernama.

 

He said AirAsia, the largest airline to utilise KLIA2, had always been ready with contingency plans, in case the airport cannot meet the June 28 deadline set by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. "We had drawn our plans a long time ago, because since three years back, we knew that the airport will not be ready on time," he added.

 

Aziz said given the delay, Malaysia Airports should not compromise on safety and quality by rushing the construction works to meet the deadline. He said even though the current low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) is affecting AirAsia's growth and expansion, airport users' and passengers' safety cannot be compromised.

 

"We in AirAsia alone have about 5,000 to 6,000 employees. We are concerned on their safety, as well as the others' too," he said.

However nothing has been said about the safety of passengers using the new airport and we have been told about Air Asia not wanting to use the aerobridges. You cannot have the cake and eat it at the same time. Air Asia must use the aerobridges and passengers are already willing to pay the surcharges for such usage.

 

The completion date for the KLIA2 has been revised several times due to changes made to the original plan, including building a bigger terminal to handle more than 40 million passengers and installing an automated baggage handling system. The new airport, envisaged to handle up to 45 million passengers per year, will have 60 gates, eight remote stands and 80 aerobridges, plus a 32,000 square metre retail space with 225 retail outlets. In short it will be better than the MTB.

 

The project was first tendered out in 2009. Its initial cost of RM1.9 billion has since ballooned to some RM4 billion with the bigger capacity plans, and recent analyst reports indicate the cost might rise further to RM4.5 billion.