Drawing Tourists, Strengthening Economic Growth Through Sports Tourism

October 09, 2008 17:11 PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The government will step up efforts to boost sports tourism events to draw more tourists as well as serve as a catalyst for national economic growth, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today.

He said state governments should promote sports tourism events as they had a major positive impact on the inflow of tourists and the national economy.

"It costs a lot for one minute of air time over paid channels such as ESPN and CNN. However, with sports such as the FEI-World Endurance Championship (WEC) 2008 being broadcast for about 30 minutes, the returns are tremendous," he said.

"Terengganu stands to gain from the huge spillover from this sports and we will carry out such efforts which can contribute to national economic growth," he said at the launch of the countdown for WEC 2008 and the state Hari Raya Aidilfitri reception at the state sports complex in Gong Badak near here.

Najib was accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. Also present at the function were Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said and Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Najib said the presence of 150 participants from 34 countries as well as foreign media representatives at the four-day event would have a major positive effect on the people of Terengganu and the rest of Malaysia as well.



"The hosting of this sport will place Terengganu on the calendar of equestrian events. I understand that Terengganu was selected as the host more so due to the keen interest of the nation's No. 1 rider, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who is the Sultan of Terengganu)," he said.

He also said that Terengganu would have a place among the list of hosts of similar events around the world, including in Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina and the United States.

Najib praised the efforts of the Terengganu government in obtaining several endurance race horses and adopting several schools in Kuala Terengganu to provide equestrian facilities to promote the sport among the people.

It is hoped that these efforts would make Terengganu a hub for endurance sports and produce a world champion one day, he added.

The WEC 2008 will be held from Nov 6 to 9 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park in Lembah Bidong, Setiu.


Source: BERNAMA

Destiny Of Monsoon Cup Hangs In The Balance

October 08, 2008 18:50 PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- T-Best Events, organisers of the Monsoon Cup have not contacted the Terengganu state government yet, raising speculation on the fate of this year's richest sailing event in the World Match Tour Racing.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said T-Best has yet to inform the state government on the status of the premier sailing event held in December every year.

"I have asked Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Za'abar Mohd Adib to check with T-Best on the status of the event again because we have not heard anything from them.

"According to the agreement, the Monsoon Cup organisers have a commitment to fulfill until 2012 and the cost of hosting the event would be borne by the Federal government," he told reporters after chairing the state Exco meeting at Wisma Darul Iman here Wednesday.

However, he added that though no preparations had taken of with regard to hosting the event, staging the event in a short time would not be a problem as all the facilities were in place.

The Monsoon Cup was first hosted in 2005 when T-Best Events and the World Match Racing Tour signed a deal to host the event until 2012.

Through the deal, the state government would have to allocate RM4 million every year to stage the event while the rest of the expenditure come from the Federal government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Tourism Ministry and Finance Ministry, he said.

The Monsoon Cup, held during the monsoon season, attracts top class yachts and world class sailors to the event held at Pulau Duyong in Terengganu and puts Malaysia on the world map through vast coverage provided by local and foreign media.

Source: BERNAMA