Updated: Tuesday September 22, 2015 MYT 7:05:07 AM
Guangdong eyes Malacca

Strengthening tiesNajib observing the ‘Friendly State and Province’ MoU signing between Idris and Zhu at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya. Looking on are (back row, from left) Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang. — Bernama
Strengthening tiesNajib observing the ‘Friendly State and Province’ MoU signing between Idris and Zhu at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya. Looking on are (back row, from left) Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and China’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Huang Huikang. — Bernama

MALACCA: The state has a great potential to be an international sea port by 2025 with fiscal commitment from Guangdong, China.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said Guangdong provincial government was interested to construct harbour facilities to turn Malacca into a top nautical hub in this region on par with Singapore.

“We are talking about a huge investment by the Chinese and once materialised, Malacca will be recognised as the largest port in this region,” he said here yesterday.

Besides the port, Idris said Guangdong was looking at unveiling another airport here as a catalyst to tourism and industrial development in Malacca.

Guangdong governor Zhu Xiaodan, he added, had also expressed interest during his working visit to Malacca on Saturday in focusing on man-made Pulau Melaka’s potential as a tourist port project as well as to cater to the needs of the maritime industry.

“Zhu is looking at the long-term, progressive development here as the state has potential as new growth area for Asean,” he said.

Idris also revealed that Zhu toured the Melaka Gateway residential and commercial property project in Pulau Melaka during his visit.

“Zhu is also passionate about bringing our bilateral ties to greater heights as well as being enthusiastic about a win-win strategy for both governments,” he said.

The state government, said Idris, had created a new portfolio known as International Trade helmed by State Transport and Project Rehabilitation Committee chairman Datuk Lim Ban Hong.

Japan's Taxi Association Visits Malaysia

The Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz hosted a dinner to welcome 50 members of Sango Taxi Association from Osaka and two members each from Kobe and Fukuoka’s taxi associations at the Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur Hotel today.

This is the second visit to Malaysia organised by Sango Taxi Association to enable their members and taxi associations from other cities to get first-hand experience of the country’s tourism attractions.

During the dinner, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri expressed his appreciation to the members of the Japan’s taxi associations for their assistance in promoting Malaysia to their passengers and clients in Japan.

“It is amazing to see that the members of these taxi associations have taken the initiative to visit Malaysia at their own expenses in an effort to get to know the country better so that they can share their experiences with their family, friends, and passengers in Japan. At the same time, they can also be a spokesperson for Malaysia,” he said.

The Minister of Tourism and Culture also said that such commitment shown by them is exemplary and should be applauded and appreciated.

Their weeklong tour to various parts of Malaysia, beginning today, is organised by Tourism Malaysia. It includes a Destination Seminar and a tour to Genting Highlands, Kuala Lumpur, and Melaka.

Japan Taxi 2016

The artwork on the Japan Taxi for Visit Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia has been collaborating with various taxi associations across Japan in eight of its major cities, namely Osaka, Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohama, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Sapporo, in an advertising campaign called Taxi Wrapping, which involves 1,060 taxis. It is part of Tourism Malaysia’s continuous efforts to promote Malaysia’s tourist destinations to Japanese tourists.

Tourism Malaysia is the only National Tourism Organisation allowed to carry out the taxi wrapping campaign in Japan due to the close diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between Malaysia and Japan. The taxi wrapping campaign is more cost-effective compared to other terms of mainstream advertising, besides producing high recall and response levels from consumers.

 Japan is one of Malaysia’s top ten tourist generating markets. Malaysia recorded a total of 149,951 Japanese tourists for the first four months of 2015. This year, Malaysia aims to attract 600,000 Japanese tourists to the country in conjunction with the Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFest).

With better connectivity between Malaysia and Japan through direct flights by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia X, Japan Airlines, and All Nippon Airways from Tokyo (41 flights per week), and Osaka (14 flights per week), Tourism Malaysia foresees higher passenger traffic between the two countries in the future.

The Malaysian Tourism and Culture Minister, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz made a visit to Paris for a trade luncheon meeting with selected French tour operators and trade media for a working trip to Milan. Dato’ Seri Nazri updated the French tour operators and journalists on the latest tourism developments in Malaysia, French tourist arrivals to the country, and MYFEST 2015. France is the second highest tourist generating market from Europe to Malaysia after the United Kingdom.

The French tour operators who have been supporting Malaysia were happy that the lunch meeting gave them an opportunity to have first-hand information on tourism in Malaysia.  They also shared with the Minister about French outbound trends, travel behaviours and assured the Minister of their support to continue selling Malaysia.

Warm Welcome to Deauville

The Minister visited the city of Deauville, located just 2 hours away from Paris. Upon arrival, the Minister received a warm welcome from the city’s Deputy Mayor, Dominique Merlin.

Located in the region of Lower Normandy, Deauville has been successful in attracting top leisure clientele and world-class events. Deauville has long been home to French high society’s seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian Riviera.

Arts in the Garden – Monet

A visit to the Garden and House of Claude Monet in Giverny, the second most visited place in Normandy, inspired Dato’ Seri Nazri to see how arts and gardens contributed greatly to tourism. Also on the programme was a visit to Tourism Malaysia Paris office, whereby the Minister was briefed on the French market performance and promotions of Malaysia in France by the director of Tourism Malaysia Paris, Mr Abdul Rahim Haron.

Malaysian Tourism Minister France Trip

The Malaysian Tourism and Culture Minister, YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz made a visit to Paris for a trade luncheon meeting with selected French tour operators and trade media for a working trip to Milan. Dato’ Seri Nazri updated the French tour operators and journalists on the latest tourism developments in Malaysia, French tourist arrivals to the country, and MYFEST 2015. France is the second highest tourist generating market from Europe to Malaysia after the United Kingdom.

The French tour operators who have been supporting Malaysia were happy that the lunch meeting gave them an opportunity to have first-hand information on tourism in Malaysia.  They also shared with the Minister about French outbound trends, travel behaviours and assured the Minister of their support to continue selling Malaysia.

Warm Welcome to Deauville

The Minister visited the city of Deauville, located just 2 hours away from Paris. Upon arrival, the Minister received a warm welcome from the city’s Deputy Mayor, Dominique Merlin.

Located in the region of Lower Normandy, Deauville has been successful in attracting top leisure clientele and world-class events. Deauville has long been home to French high society’s seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian Riviera.

Arts in the Garden – Monet

A visit to the Garden and House of Claude Monet in Giverny, the second most visited place in Normandy, inspired Dato’ Seri Nazri to see how arts and gardens contributed greatly to tourism. Also on the programme was a visit to Tourism Malaysia Paris office, whereby the Minister was briefed on the French market performance and promotions of Malaysia in France by the director of Tourism Malaysia Paris, Mr Abdul Rahim Haron.

Melaka Craft Centre exists to promote the local handicraft to the international market. Tourist may find all kind of handicrafts like pewter,

batiks, top spinning, rattan, beaded shoes and many more at very reasonable price. Either you buy for your own or as a gift and souvenir, just pick your choice.

 

Alor Gajah