Tourism minister to lead Malaysian delegation to Kazakhstan

KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen will be leading a 25-member Malaysian delegation to the Fifth Astana Economic Forum (AEF) in Astana, Kazakhstan.

At the three-day AEF from Tuesday, the minister will meet the host country’s Industry and New Technology Minister Asset Isekeshev to discuss bilateral cooperation on tourism development.

世界清真旅游大会 31日起吉隆坡举行

（吉隆坡15日讯）首届世界清真旅游业大会（WITM）订于5月31日至6月2日，在吉隆坡世界贸易中心及斯里太平洋酒店举行，领导全球群伦共同开拓回教徒旅游市场。

主办单位马来西亚旅游总会（MATTA）今天召开记者会，向公众推介这项集合商对商展览会、商对消费者展销会，以及联袂举行第6届国际清真旅游论坛（INCOMTHU）的三合一盛事。

马来西亚旅游总会主席拿督卡立指出，目前全球约有17亿回教徒人口，数目正持续增长，是旅游市场一片有待开发的金矿。而且单单在中国，便存在约3亿华裔回教徒。

商展馆设120展摊

“许多旅行社已看到这市场潜能，纷纷设立清真旅游部门。本届大会也不限回教徒参与，来自香港、德国、英国等几十个非回教国买家都积极参与，希望寻觅可协助他们开拓清真旅游市场的伙伴。”

世界清真旅游业大会筹委主席莎丽娜透露，商对商展馆将设约120个展摊，至今已收到约700位专业买家注册参观。

这批买家与卖家来自约40个国家，相信可借此平台促成多宗国际交易。

第6届国际清真旅游论坛将于5月31日，上午8时至下午5时，在吉隆坡斯里太平洋酒店（世界贸易中心旁）大礼堂举行。

“CUTI-CUTI 1MALAYSIA SUNDAY BIKE RIDE @ RAUB”

Riding bikes has gain its popularity once again as teenage and adults alike cycling on weekends on the street as recreational activity but it can be dangerous if done on big city with cars rushing especially on weekends.

Inspired by this, Tourism Malaysia has organized a monthly-event known as “Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Sunday Bike Ride @Raub, Pahang” which was officiated by the Tourism Minister YB Dato’ Sri Ng Yen Yen who also attempted 15km bike ride with 500 participants during the event.

As reported, YB Sri Dato Ng Yen Yen said that the “Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Sunday Bike Ride @ Raub, Pahang” will be organized every first Sunday of each month. This monthly activity involves 7km bike ride around Raub city which opens for participants from students, Bike Ride Clubs, residents of Raub, and also residents of Bentong, Temerloh, Kuantan and Kuala Kumpur.

With cooperation between Tourism Malaysia and Pahang authorities as well as the well-known Bike Ride Club Reborn Raub, this activity become one of the tourism product that will invite foreigners to come visit Pahang. Apart from that, this activity promotes healthy lifestyle and “Green Activity” as participants will be able to witness Raub’s beautiful scenery and friendly citizens, Dato Ng added.

This activity also comes in package compiled by participated travel agencies for more information, please log on to www.tourismmalaysia.com.my or check out their Facebook Fanpage atwww.facebook.com/pages/Cuti-Cuti-1Malaysia-Bike-Ride/

http://www.smemagazine.asia/index.php/top-news/malaysia/1210-syarina

Top tourism industry players urged to boost skills

By LEE YEN MUN
yenmun@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: Tourism Ministry officers and industry players have been urged to increase their skills and knowledge to be able to serve the billion-ringgit industry better.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said tourism frontliners should adopt an attitude of lifelong learning to continuously improve their careers.

“The Tourism Ministry in Malaysia is a people’s ministry.

“Our officers must embrace this concept for us to be mesra rakyat (people-friendly) as well as skilled and informed,” Dr Ng said after presenting excellent service awards to 114 ministry officers here yesterday.

Earlier in her speech, Dr Ng said the ministry recorded RM4.85bil in tourist receipts monthly throughout the whole of last year.

The event was also attended by ministry top-guns, including deputy minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit, secretary general Datuk Dr Ong HOng Peng and Tourism Malaysia board of directors chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee.

“We are a profit-making ministry because we work hard.

“Greater profits means the rakyat gets to enjoy subsidies (on essential goods),” said Dr Ng.

Bersih Rally Jeopardises Tourism Industry – Yen Yen

PUTRAJAYA, May 10 (Bernama) — The Bersih 3.0 rally held in Kuala Lumpur on April 28 had dire consequences on the tourism industry, resulting in the last-minute cancellation of tour packages and hotel reservations, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said Thursday.

The ministry was informed by hotel operators that room bookings were cancelled close to the rally date as tourists feared for their safety, she said.

“Thirty-six TV stations around the world broadcast the rally. We understand that hotel room bookings to the tune of RM200,000 were cancelled,” she told reporters after presenting excellence service awards to 114 staff of the ministry, here.

Dr Ng said several shopping malls, among them Sogo and Central Market, had to close for the whole day of the rally while more than 80 per cent of the traders in Petaling Street did not open for business.

通过智能手机沟通 大马网交亚太第二

（吉隆坡10日讯）市场调查公司尼尔森（Nielsen）的一项最新调查显示，大马人通过智能手机进行网上社交活动的比率，在亚太区排名第二。

2012年尼尔森智能手机研究调查指，年龄介于25岁至34岁（分别85%及77%）的受访者上网和浏览社交网站正处于上升趋势。

调查显示，大马大部分的智能手机用户都大量使用他们的手机，75%受访者是透过智能手机上网，无论在家、看电视节目、吃饭或逛街，都“机不离手”。

尼尔森电讯业执行董事哈尼斯哈伦在调查报告中说，在家里使用智能手机用户占75%，37%则在观看电视节目的当儿使用手机。
他说，最常使用手机上网的地方是在逛街时段，达43%；吃饭时使用电话的用户则占36%。

79%国人拟买智能手机

此外，哈尼斯哈伦也说，58%的大马人或会在每6个月提升手机功能，而计划购买智能手机者则占79%。

尼尔森智能手机研究调查是针对亚太区、欧洲、拉丁美洲和北美23个国家，超过3万5000名手机用户进行调查。

Promote domestic sights well

VETERANS in the tourism industry who feel jaded should haved attended the inaugural Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference which ended yesterday and where I was inspired by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen’s address.

While everyone agrees with the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism, implementation could be better, especially in sectors that are yet to set high standards.

The majority of tourists are attracted to popular destinations, but seasoned ones are turned off by overcrowding during peak periods.

Frequent overseas trips would eventually feel like commuting to work. There is always a mad rush to catch a flight and check in and out of airports and hotels.

Those who have returned from hectic trips would need a holiday before they can fully recover for work.

We have been more successful in attracting foreigners than getting our people to travel within our country.

Perhaps, it is an opportune time to develop domestic tourism to its fullest potential, which has more than economic value.

We can identify ourselves by race, but if we are truly proud of our roots, we would try to bring honour to our ancestors and hope for our descendants.

History is memorised to pass exams with little effort on application. Every human settlement has a beginning. The trials and tribulations of the early settlers are as captivating as the tycoons who left behind their legacies.

Every village has a story to tell and sell. Even a haunted house could be an attraction. It is a matter of harnessing resources. Citizens can set up working committees and trace the history of their settlements and colourful figures who passed through.

There are talents in our midst if we care to look. They can be roped in to share with visitors their entertaining acts and skills.

Tourists would be happier to learn an authentic local dance than merely watch a dance troupe.

Locals will take great pride in their traditions and cultures if they can showcase them to visitors. It would also bring communities closer.

People in villages live a rather passive life not realising that tourism can change their lives for the better. It would be easy for the committees to identify the best places for local fare to satisfy day-trippers.

Those staying longer need accommodation which can range from modern budget hotels to home-stays.

What culture vultures seek is experiential tourism and they would happily help locals like farmers with their daily chores or grow vegetables and return to harvest and show off their produce to friends and neighbours.

Social media and word-of-mouth are powerful tools that can drive tourists to any spot if it is well promoted. Apart from writing and promoting what is already in place, journalists could highlight potential that the locals might not realise.

The power of tourism is similar to solar energy, very useful if we learn to utilise it intelligently.

YS CHAN
KUALA LUMPUR

Larger and more dazzling display at Colours of 1Malaysia this year

KUALA LUMPUR: Visitors to the Colours of 1Malaysia festival this year can expect a larger and even more dazzling display than previous shows.

Seven floats and 7,000 dancers will parade past Dataran Merdeka, not unlike the carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She added that the annual tourism festival, which would be held on May 19, is expected to draw 100,000 visitors.

“This is the 14th year we are celebrating this festival and it is the biggest carnival in the Malaysian tourism calendar to showcase a variety of tourism products, from eco-tourism, homestay, shopping, food to contemporary art and sports,” she said at a press conference to announce the event.

Dr Ng added that there would be many other side shows including band performances and a fireworks display.

“We will be inviting 280 members of the media from 23 countries including Sri Lanka, the Middle East, Turkey and Russia. We are inviting them because we wish to expand into like Russia and Sri Lanka.

“In our experience, they are quite impressed with Malaysia, and they are an important tool to promote the brand of Malaysia Truly Asia,” she said, adding that the show would also be televised in other countries.

She also said the ministry would bring writers and bloggers from several overseas countries on a familiarisation trip.

繽纷大马嘉年华19日登场

（吉隆坡9日讯）由旅游部精心策划的「繽纷一个马来西亚」將在5月19日（星期六）在吉隆坡独立广场盛大举行，號称歷年规模最大的嘉年华获7000人参与表演，预计吸引10万名国內外游客参与其盛。

系列活动由傍晚5时开始至午夜12时，长达1.5公里的游行於晚上8时由拉惹路出发，途经拉惹劳勿路、依斯法罕路至端姑阿都拉曼路。压轴表演是民间艺术「Dikir Barat」及燃放烟花。

旅游部部长拿督斯里黄燕燕今午召开记者会指出，该部自1999年举行上述活动，「繽纷一个马来西亚」是旅游部重点活动，通过街头表演艺术將大马介绍给外国游客。

她说，大部分参与者为学生、文化协会或非政府组织代表。今年的表演环节由去年的6个增加至11个，包括开幕、自然色彩、民宿、运动旅游、购物、一个马来西亚当代艺术、文化遗產、公园、美食、马来西亚「亚洲魅力所在」及闭幕。

「为了推广大马旅游，旅游部邀请了23个国家共280名媒体工作者及7家海外电视台参与，包括汶莱、印尼、越南、中国、日本、韩国、印度、斯里兰卡、伊朗、纽西兰、德国等。另外，旅游部也邀请158家旅行社出席体验马来西亚的魅力所在。」

黄燕燕呼吁旅游业者配合旅游部极力推广大马成为重点旅游区，从中提高国家经济发展。迄今，代理已售出300个「繽纷一个马来西亚」旅游配套。

出席记者会者尚有旅游部副部长拿督詹姆士、秘书长拿督黄宏炳、代总监拿督阿兹占及马来西亚人民舞蹈团主席哈美达尤索夫。

Citrawarna set to dazzle on May 19

KUALA LUMPUR: The Colours of 1Malaysia or popularly known as Citrawarna is back and set to dazzle crowds with an array of shows on May 19。