Month: August 2012

MELAKA EXPECTS 13 MILLION VISITORS IN 2012

Post author By melakatour
Post date August 26, 2012
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Malaysia’s Melaka readies for 13 million tourists
Bikya Masr Staff | 19 August 2012 | 0 Comments

Melaka waterfront to see millions of tourists, says government.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s southern tourist spot Melaka has seen some 6.8 million tourist arrivals in the first 6 months of this year, up 21.1 percent over the corresponding period last year, and is on track to achieve 12.5 million arrivals for the whole year, the government said.

The state recorded 5.6 million tourist arrivals between January and June last year, said Abd Kadir Idris, general manager of the Tourism Promotion Division in the Melaka Chief Minister’s Department.

“Melaka is on the right track to achieving 12.5 million tourist arrivals this year in conjunction with the 750th anniversary of Melaka,” he told Bernama news agency.

Abd Kadir said domestic tourists continued to be the highest, registering five million or 74.63 percent of the total arrivals, compared to 1.8 million foreign arrivals or 25.37 percent.

A majority of the foreign tourists are from China, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, contributing to 1.1 million tourist arrivals in all.

Abd Kadir said the rise in the number of tourists was the result of close cooperation between the Melaka state government and the various players in the tourism industry, ranging from hotel operators to trishaw riders.

He also said that the opening of the RM73 million Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex at the mouth of the Melaka River on August 1, would provide a major boost to drawing more tourists to Melaka.

The CIQ, which would be a major gateway to Dumai and Bengkalis in Indonesia, would further facilitate tourist travel, besides the Melaka international airport in Batu Berendam, he said.

Tags Bikya Masr Staff, Comments Melaka, cruise melaka, homestay melaka, Hong Kong, Indonesia, malacca heritage, malaysia melaka, tempat menarik di melaka, touris melaka attraction, tourism melaka

Cuisine in Melaka

MALAYSIA OPEN HOUSE CAN DRAW TOURISTS

Post author By melakatour
Post date August 26, 2012
No Comments on MALAYSIA OPEN HOUSE CAN DRAW TOURISTS

Email Print 23 August 2012 | last updated at 12:36AM
Open house can be huge tourist draw

By SEAN AUGUSTIN, YISWAREE PALANSAMY AND NURADILLA NOOR AZAM | news@nst.com.my 0 comments

ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE: Country can use this uniquely Malaysian practice to attract foreigners

Locals and foreigners at an open house in Kota Kinabalu early this week. This open house tradition will boost unity and tourism. Pic by Edmund Samunting
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KUALA LUMPUR: HOLDING open house is a unique Malaysian trait. It not only promotes unity among the races but can also be put on the tourism calendar.
The various key players and stakeholders in the tourismindustry said the country could use the open house concept to promote itself to the world.
“This is the beauty of our country. People open up their homes to those from different walks of life, and this strengthens unity and harmony,” said Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee.
He said tourism industry players could combine their open house functions with other programmes to allow tourists to experience Malaysian culture.
“Many tourists participate in homestay programmes to experience village life. It will be great if we can organise Hari Raya celebrations in homestays.
At the same time, every state has its own way of celebrating Hari Raya.
“Tourists will find this a fulfilling vacation as they get to learn about different traditions.”
Echoing Wee’s concerns, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said despite open house being a distinct Malaysian feature, not many tour operators promoted it to foreign tourists.
“Tour operators should encourage foreigners to visit Malaysia during festive seasons. It is a unique concept that isn’t seen in other parts of the world,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Khalid said promoting the open house could also boost the aviation industry, as more tourists would fly to the country.

In supporting the idea, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg urged government agencies to inform the department of the dates and venues of their open house functions so that tour operators could include them in their itineraries.
“The open house can draw a lot of tourists. We will be happy to promote it.”

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, during his Hari Raya open house on Sunday, expressed happiness that Malaysians held this practice abroad, including serving lemang, ketupat and rendang to guests.

He described the open house tradition as a unique practice adopted by Malaysians to mark festivities.

Tour operator Datin Baizura Abu Bakar said the open house showed the true spirit of unity. “The spirit of 1Malaysia is seen in the Hari Raya open house. “People from all walks of life mix with one another.”
Baizura said tourists who attended the open house would enjoy the experience.
“They will feel that Malaysia is their second home.”

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany said the open house concept promoted unity among the races.

“This tradition, which dates back to 1960s, is entrenched in our culture. People understand each other’s way of life this way.

“There is no better way to bring together so many races under one roof. Therefore, Malaysians should be encouraged to have open house to boost unity.

“People all over the world crave for this sort of togetherness. This tradition of ours is a highly bankable one for the tourism sector.” Additional reporting by Nuradilla Noorazam and Hashini Kannan