On this coming Friday, 15th. April 2016, Melaka will celebrate her 8th. Anniversary for being declared as Melaka Historical City Day.

In 2015, arrivals of local and foreign tourists to Melaka top 15.7 million. This is an all time high and hopefully Melaka can aim for 20 million visitors by 2020.

There are new attractions being planned and constructed.

A big project by Yong Tai group is Impressions Melaka and Impression City. Chinese and Malaysian investors are involved in this multi billion project.

Melaka Gateway is another major project at Pulau Melaka which includes a new marina, hotels and shopping area. International Cruise ships can berth safely in Melaka as well.

Impression Melaka is an international show directed and put together by Chinese renowned director, Zhang Zi Mou and is scheduled to be opened by end 2017.

This World class shows will be performed at night and guests are expected to spend at least one night for these shows. By doing so, guests must stay in hotels around Melaka including enjoying our food and beverages. Major spin offs are expected for Melaka.

World Ecotourism Conference 2016
The 6th World Ecotourism Conference 2016 and the first Malaysia Ecotourism Summit will be held at the Mulu National Park from 27-30 January and at the prestigious Mulu Marriott Resort and Spa. Over 100 delegates comprising mostly high-profile government decision-makers, academicians and representatives from NGOs and international organisations worldwide will be present at the conference. Resource experts will also present case studies surrounding the theme: Tourism Clusters and Thematic Corridors for Sustainable Development.

The annual World Ecotourism Conference held in collaboration with the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is the world’s most important ecotourism conference with transformative impact on the tourism industry in developing countries; committed to the protection of nature and environment, betterment of ecotourism and uplifting the well-being of local communities. Since 2009, the prestigious World Ecotourism Conference has been held in Lao PDR, Malaysia, Cambodia, South Korea and Philippines.

World Ecotourism Conference Malaysia 2016

World Ecotourism Conference 2016 in Mulu, Sarawak Borneo, Malaysia

World Ecotourism Conference 2016 Program
27 Jan 2016 – Reception at Mulu Airport | Scheduled transfers to Mulu Park and Mulu Marriot Resort
28 Jan 2016 – Opening Ceremony | Keynote Addresses | Plenary | Welcome Dinner
29 Jan 2016 – Plenary | Conclusions | Farewell Dinner
30 Jan 2016 – Full day post-technical tour to Lang Cave, Deer Cave, Clearwater Cave, Wind Cave and Bat Exodus Spectacle
31 Jan 2016 – Transfers to airport

For more information, see – http://www.wecmalaysia2016.com/

World Ecotourism Conference 2016
Email: secretariat@discoverymice.com
Tel: +603-42533688
DELEGATE SUPPORT LINE (27 TO 31 JAN 2016):
CALL/SMS: +(6)013-2063768

The World Ecotourism Conference 2016 Malaysia event is co-organised by The Malaysian Ecotourism Association (MEA) and DISCOVERYMICE, an affiliate member of UNWTO, and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Tourism Malaysia, Sarawak State Government, Sarawak Forestry Corporation and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Centre of Innovative Planning and Development.

Islamic-compliant Airline Rayani Air
Malaysia’s first Islamic-compliant airline Rayani Air began operations Sunday with its maiden flight taking off from the capital to the resort island of Langkawi, local media reported. In-flight meals served on board its flights are completely halal, with alcohol consumption strictly prohibited.

Muslim flight crew must don the hijab while non-Muslim crew are to be decently dressed, managing director Jaafar Zamhari told reporters. There will also be prayer recitals before take-off.

“We are the first Malaysian airline to be shariah-compliant based on guidelines by relevant authorities. We are proud of this,” Jaffar was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper. “The shariah-compliant aspects will be refined as time goes by,” he added using the Arabic word for Islamic law.

Rayani Air New Airline
There are already other shariah-friendly carriers operating around the world, and UK-based Firnas Airways is planning to offer similar flights next year, according to a Bloomberg new agency report. Under the concept of halal – meaning “permissible” in Arabic – pork and its by-products, alcohol and animals not slaughtered according to Islamic procedures are all “haram” or forbidden.

Halal standards also apply to products such as cosmetics, which may contain animal-derived ingredients, and the conditions under which they are prepared and stored. Muslim-majority Malaysia has long practised a moderate form of Islam but conservative attitudes are rising.

Rayan Air Destinations
A company recently introduced halal bottled mineral water in Malaysia, and Islamic speed dating sessions – where single women are chaperoned – have been embraced. A halal convention in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, which drew thousands of delegates and hundreds of exhibitors, showcased products ranging from food and cosmetics to collagen produced from yaks in Tibet. Visit www.rayaniair.com for more information.

Rayani Air Malaysia made headlines on Airline News Asia in July and August 2014 when the new airlinr concept was introduced and this latest article source is from – http://news.asiaone.com/news/travel/malaysias-first-islamic-compliant-airline-rayani-air-takes for Malaysia’s first Islamic-compliant Airline Rayani Air.

MELAKA ART PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL IS BACK!

Seventh Instalment Features Over 35 Global Artists to Enliven the Historic City of Melaka

The world’s largest and only site-specific art and performance festival on a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Melaka Art and Performance Festival (MAPFest), returns to Melaka for its seventh instalment from 27 to 29 November 2015. More than 35 local and international artists will muster around the vicinity of St. Paul’s Hill and transform the heritage city into a piece of art. The 3-day festival is a free and accessible event for all.

“MAPFest is a platform created for the artists. We saw tremendous growth in interest towards the arts and performing arts industry within the region over the years. We strongly believe that MAPFest will continue to pave the way in nurturing and cultivating artists for the country and the world,” said Andrew Ching, founder and producer of MAPFest.

Over the years, the festival has attracted tens of thousands of foreign and local festival-goers to the historical site.  This year, artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, France, Poland, Singapore and Russia collaborates to present international quality performances from various practices of arts including dance, performing art, visual arts installation, film and music.

Andrew added that over the years, MAPFest grew into a world-renowned brand amongst the global art community. “The festival was nominated and won multiple awards by various local and international bodies. Our achievements today would not be possible without the continuous and restless support from our artists, partners and fans.”

MAPFest 2015 keeps it fresh with specialty components such as Cerita Pendik (Short Works) Visual Arts Installation, film screening as well as forums and workshops. Other highlights include collaborative performance – ‘Eulogy for The Living’, MAPPING programme, fine and contemporary arts display at local galleries around Melaka City, and a Children’s Art Festival at SMK Canossa Convent Malacca.

“The festival remains free for all and this gives the artists a freer range of expression. This was what made the festival unique. Artists freely collaborate, learn and experiment in the fundamental creative spirit. We have contemporary dancers, musicians, visual and new media artists alongside shamans from rural Java. We voice stories of transformations, rites of passages and concerns of the inner conscience. We have highly accomplished artist to work with young and emerging from all social-economic and cultural backgrounds. The profundity of themes and artistic relationships have grown, given birth to many further collaborations, networks and exchanges,” said Tony Yap, Creative Director of MAPFest.

He added that the festival is hard to fund but the wealth is beyond the entertainment and industry of spectaculars. “This is the message we get from the artists and audiences, and this is what kept us going.”

MAPFest 2015 is directed by Tony Yap in his capacity as Festival Creative Director. He was one of the principle performers with IRAA Theatre from 1989 to 1996, and has worked extensively in Australia and internationally, including the Agamemnon Festival, Colline Torinese in Italy and The Trojan Woman at the Vienna International Art Festival. As the founding Artistic Director of Mixed Company (now the Tony Yap Company) in 1993, he has made a commitment to the exploration and creation of an individual dance theatre language that is informed by psy-physical research, Asian Shamanistic Trance Dance, Butoh Voice and Visual Design.

MAPFest 2015 is produced by Arts Performance Festival Melaka Sdn Bhd, initiated by E-Plus Entertainment Productions, and supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Visit Malaysia Year 2015, Jabatan Warisan Negara, Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB), Bandar Warisan Malaysia, Tony Yap Company, Perbadanan Muzium Melaka (PERZIM), the Australian High Commission, the Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia, the Embassy of France, Alliance Français de Kuala Lumpur, Estadia by Hatten, Institut Français and iM4U (Official Volunteer Platform).

For more information and updates about MAPFest 2015, please visit:

Website                         : www.melakafestival.com

Facebook                      : Melaka Art Performance Festival

Instagram                      : mapfest

FIM Asia Supermoto Championship 2015

6th November 2015 to 8th November 2015 – Penang

The FIM Asia Supermoto Championship 2015 is one of Asia’s premier motorsports race event that will kick off its 1st round in Malaysia this June. Supermoto racing combines exciting elements of motocross, dirt track and road racing into one dynamic discipline. It features jumps, high-speed straights with both dirt and asphalt surfaces. Tracks and venues can vary considerably whereby it can be held at racing circuits, sports stadiums, on open car parks and on closed-course city streets. Being close to its fans, this unique sport offers pure excitement and adrenaline-filled fun for the spectators.

This year, the championship will feature up to 18 top Asian Supermoto riders mainly from Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia. There will be 2 races held on each day consisting of practice, qualifying and finals for the novice and expert category. Points collected on both days will be tabulated as championship points. At the completion of 6 rounds, the rider with the most points will be declared as the 2015 FIM Asia Supermoto Champion and the country represented will be awarded the 2015 FIM Asia Supermoto Champion- Country.

Malaysia will be represented by two top riders, Hairi Zakaria (2012/13 FIM Asia Supermoto Champion) and Mohd Habibullah Mohd Saleh (2011/12 Malaysian Supermoto Series S1 Champion). Other top Asian riders scheduled to compete are Taiwan’s Lin Chin Pei (2013 Taiwan Supermoto Champion), Japan’s Susumu Mitoma (Japan Moto1 All Star), Thailand’s Trakarn Thangthong (2011 FIM Asia Supermoto Champion) and many others.

Asia Supersports Group Sdn Bhd being the exclusive promoter and license-holder will also feature international and local support events at each of the venues. MotoJamm, an international motorcycle freestyle entertainment show featuring US Professional Stunt Rider Aaron Twite, Spanish Motorcycle Trial Stunter Albert Dos Temps, local Trial Riders from the Pangkolo Riders team, and Bicycle Trial Riders from France Lolo and Franck Vabre will complement the overall event. Happening alongside MotoJamm will be Art of Speed (AOS), Malaysia’s own homegrown OlSkool Kustom Kulture event. Started in 2012, Art of Speed aims to grow and make Malaysia as the hub of convergence to all custom lovers. This year, the organizers kick things up a notch with the AOS Triumph Invitational Bike Build-Off, pitting four of Malaysia’s best builders against each other to produce the best customized Triumph motorcycle. MotoJamm will also be featuring motorcycle related exhibitions, live concerts, and a mini moto showcase.

Venue
Penang

Organizer
Asia Supersports Group Sdn Bhd,
Suite 6.01, Level 6 Heitech Village,
Persiaran Kewajipan USJ 1, 47600
Subang Jaya, Selangor

Website
www.asg.com

Telephone
+603-8024-4044

Email
sathes@asg.my