traveldailynews.com
Malaysia. Monday, June 20, 2005
Marine tourism is the next big
attraction in Malaysia with a new focus on cruise,
yachting and sailing , Tourism Minister Dr
Leo Michael Toyad said.
Malaysia and its neighbours could
be the new playground for cruise liners beginning
from Yangon in the Andaman Sea, with stopovers in
Phuket, Langkawi, passing through the Strait of
Melaka, Java, around the Borneo Island and ending
in Manila Bay, he told a news conference.
A regional meeting was held last month to discuss
the framework for the idea.
"To promote cruise tourism, we have been
working with some local tour agents and foreign
passenger companies to bring cruise liners to our
ports. To date, many major cruise liners have called
on Port Klang, Penang, Langkawi, Kuantan and Kota
Kinabalu," he said.
Yachting or sailing is another high-yield marine
leisure activity.
The number of Malaysian yacht
owners has been increasing every year and the number
of marina has increased over the past 20 years in
Langkawi, Penang, Lumut, Port Klang and
Kota Kinabalu.
At present there are 14 marinas and yacht clubs
in Malaysian waters with international class facilities.
Dr Toyad is leading a three-city
tour of Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles to aggressively
promote Malaysia as a premier tourist destination
in North America "which has been ignored for
the past five years."
"This mission is just the beginning of
our concentrated effort to educate travelers about
what Malaysia has to offer and why it is known as
the Gem of Southeast Asia," he said.
Malaysia`s revenue from tourism increased from
RM21.3 billion in 2003 to RM29.6 billion last year.
(US$1=RM3.80)
The mission includes seminars on tourism in Malaysia,
meetings with travel trade members, travel marts,
and cultural shows.
It also showcases a graceful collection of contemporary
batik by the young and talented Malaysian designer,
Nazleen Noor. Eight Malaysian beauties
were flown to model her designs.
In Los Angeles, Dr Toyad will
be holding discussions with filmmaking companies
and producers to promote Malaysia as a film-making
destination.
Rania Deimezi - Monday, June 20, 2005
Source : traveldailynews.com
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