Saturday, December 30, 2006

Perak Prepares More Than 60 Events For Visit Malaysia Year 2007

December 30, 2006 11:17 AM

IPOH, Dec 29 (Bernama) -- Perak has prepared more than 60 events for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 (VMY 2007) to woo some three million tourists into the state next year.

Perak Agriculture, Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said among the events are Ipoh International Run, Perak International Dances Championship, International Orchid Festival, Pulau Sembilan Fishing Safari and Perak Agrofest.

"We will also organise Malaysia Skydive Perak next year after its maiden show this year garnered encouraging response and praise from the participants," he told a press conference here Saturday.

He said Perak's VMY 2007 will be officially launched by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali this Jan 7 at Lumut Square.

"But the VMY 2007 celebrations will start on Jan 1 with Temenggor Assemblyman Datuk Hasbullah Osman welcoming tourists at entry points in Pengkalan Hulu, while Pangkor Assemblyman Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir at Lumut jetty," he said.

In KUCHING, a giant-size book on tourist attractions in the state, entitled "Pictorial of Sarawak", has been flown to Dubai to be exhibited at the Dubai Shopping Festival.

The book's author, Ang Beng Ling, said the three-metre long and 2.2-metre wide wonder was sent via a MASkargo delivery service and is expected to arrive in Dubai Sunday.

The book contains about 200 tourism-related pictures in Sarawak and will be exhibited at several parts of the country by a Dubai-based non-governmental organisation.

"It will be exhibited for the first time at the Dubai Shopping Festival to promote Malaysia and Sarawak. I do not intend to bring it back home as it will bring more benefits to leave it outside the country," Ang told reporters at the MASkargo office, here Saturday.

Last Sept 18 September, the book was announced by the Malaysia Book of Records as the largest book in the country.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Home Affairs Datuk Tan Chai Ho reminded taxi drivers to maintain the country's good image when dealing with tourists during the VMY 2007.

He said they must be at their best appearance and behaviour while interacting with these visitors.

"Taxi fares must be according to the meters and should not be arbitrarily set by them," he told reporters here after launching a taxi drivers' expedition to Teluk Batik, organised by the Kuala Lumpur Taxi Drivers' Welfare Association Saturday.

The expedition is to promote Teluk Batik to tourists.

Tan suggested taxi drivers to attend tourism courses conducted by Tourism Malaysia to improve their communication skills.

He also praised the association's effort for organising the expedition which would expand the taxi drivers' knowledge of Malaysia's tourist destinations apart from promoting them.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY 2007, VMY'07, VMY2007

External Links:
Tourism Malaysia - http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my
Virtual Malaysia - http://www.virtualmalaysia.com

Mainland China Tourists Boost For VMY Malaysia 2007

December 30, 2006 22:48 PM

By Tham Choy Lin

BEIJING, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 will see many groups of mainland China tourists and journalists making a beeline for Kuala Lumpur and other destinations, in particular, beach resorts.

A check with Tourism Malaysia offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou revealed that thousands of Chinese tourists are expected in the month of January alone.

The first flight from China touching down at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on New Year's Day will be a China Eastern carrier from Shanghai's Pudong Airport. It is scheduled to arrive at 12.30 am on Monday.

Shuhaimi Shaharuddin, Tourism Malaysia director in Guangzhou, said response from local tour operators was good following a series of promotional events and tie-ups with television stations.

"South China is traditionally the strong market for Malaysia. Several thousand tourists are estimated to travel to Malaysia in January via Guangzhou because we have 50 flights a week from here," he said.

Arrivals from Shanghai were very encouraging as well, said Wan Zawawi Mohammed, director of Tourism Malaysia there.

"In the first week of January, there will be 1,200 direct arrivals from Shanghai from one airline alone. Tour operators are also bringing in tourists directly or via other destinations. These will run into a few hundred visitors," he said.

He said tours to Langkawi and other beach resorts were a big attraction and a few groups would also attend the Floral Fest in Putrajaya on Jan 26.

Tourism Malaysia offices in the three Chinese cities have also arranged for more than a dozen television crews from Beijing and the provinces to attend the launch of VMY 2007 on Jan 6 at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa and to interesting spots in other parts of the country.

Michael Tay, Tourism Malaysia director in Beijing, has arranged for five TV crews from Beijing TV and the provinces of Shangdong, Tianjian, Hebei and Henan, and magazine writers to visit Malaysia in January.

From the south, five television crews including from Guangdong, Yunnan, Fujian and Hunan, would be coming. Yunnan TV will film five selected girls holidaying in Genting, Langkawi, Penang, Ipoh and Pangkor from Jan 6 to 13.

Tourism Malaysia in Shanghai has also secured five television broadcasters -- China Business News, Shanghai TV, Dragon TV, Nanjing TV and Hangzhou TV -- and print journalists from Chengdu and Chongqing.

China's growing affluence has made it a top market in the global tourism industry. Last year, 31 million mainlanders travelled abroad.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY 2007, VMY'07, VMY2007

External Links:
Tourism Malaysia - http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my

Friday, December 29, 2006

Road Closure In KL For New Year Celebrations

December 29, 2006 15:48 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 (Bernama) -- Several roads to four locations in the capital will be closed to make way for the New Year's eve celebrations from this Sunday to Monday.

Kuala Lumpur traffic police chief ACP Hamzah Taib said the spots would be Dataran Merdeka, Bukit Bintang, Jalan Telawi in Bangsar and the KLCC Petronas Twin Towers.

A number of roads would be closed completely while the rest in stages, he said in a statement issued Friday.

At Dataran Merdeka, Jalan Raja from the Jalan Raja-Jalan Hishamudin junction to the Jalan Raja - Jalan Tun Perak - Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman junction will be closed from 8pm on Sunday to 5am on Monday.

At the KLCC, Jalan Exxon Mobil will be closed from 6pm on Sunday until the end of the celebration and fireworks display.

In Bukit Bintang, a section of Jalan Sultan Ismail in front of Sungei Wang Plaza will be closed from 12pm on Sunday. Vehicles using Jalan Imbi from Jalan Hang Tuah and Jalan Pudu will not be allowed to enter Jalan Sultan Ismail.

In Bangsar, Jalan Telawi 3 will be closed from 3pm on Sunday until the end of the celebration.

"To ensure no traffic congestion will occur especially around the celebration spots, traffic police will deploy personnel to control the movement of vehicles at junctions, roundabouts and access roads," Hamzah said.

He also advised the public to go early for the celebrations, use alternative roads or public transport and not to park their vehicles by the roadside to avoid being fined or having their vehicles towed.

Source: BERNAMA

Thursday, December 28, 2006

KL Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Service Begins

December 28, 2006 18:34 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's first double-decker tour bus service, the KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus, begins Thursday, offering free rides and tour of the city until Saturday.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who launched the service today, believed the service would make it easier for tourists to tour the city as well as visit places of interest.

"Besides targeting foreign tourists, the bus service is hoped to also attract domestic tourists to tour the city," he told reporters after the launch.

The KL Hop-On Hop-Off tour bus service is managed by Elang Wah Sdn Bhd. Its buses are equipped with facilities for the disabled.

Tengku Adnan, who also boarded one of the buses, hoped that a similar service could be introduced in other places like Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

Meanwhile, Elang Wah Sdn Bhd managing director Syed Azhar Syed Nadzri said the KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus route would take passengers to 42 destinations in the city, including the Istana Negara, National Mosque, Bird Park, Orchid Park and Titiwangsa Lake Park.

A complete tour of the city for those who do not get off the bus at the respective destinations, takes about 45 minutes. Tickets purchased for the bus ride are valid for 24 hours.

Syed Azhar said four buses would be operational from today with another six buses by the middle of next year.

The service is between 8.30am and 8.30pm with a 30-minute interval.

The ticket is RM38 for foreigners and RM17 for children and senior citizens while children below five years of age get a free ride.

The tickets can be purchased at special counters, hotels and selected travel agents.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY 2007, VMY'07, VMY2007, Kuala Lumpur, Tourism Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, KL Hop-On Hop-Off, Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Istana Negara, National Mosque, Bird Park, Orchid Park, Titiwangsa Lake Park

External Links:
KL Hop-On Hop-Off - http://www.myhoponhopoff.com/