Yearly Archives - 2012

Kota Kinabalu: The 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival (1MMSC) has been a signature tourism event in Malaysia and successful in positioning the country as a value-for-money tourist destination, said Malaysia Tourism Board Director, Datuk Dr Tengku Zainal Adlin Tengku Mahmood. Adlin, who is also Sabah Tourism Board Chairman, said the 1MMSC is among mportant events in Malaysia's tourism calendar due to the lure of shopping in the country. "As a shopping destination, Malaysia's earns points for its excellent currency exchange rate affordable-priced goods, great variety of local and international brands, landmark shopping mall, etc," he said, when launching the 1MMSC 2012 - Fly! Stay! Shop! at the 1Borneo Hypermall, Saturday. The 1MMSC, which will run from July 1 to Sept 30, is organised to promote the country as a shopping heaven and increase tourist arrivals to the country. "This year, its an extra special since it coincides with several major and exciting events such as Euro 2012 (June 8 to July 1), 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism Festival (from July to September) Ramadhan month (July 21 - Aug 18 and Aidilfitri (Aug 19)," he said. Adlin said several other efforts have been initiated by the Government to enhance Malaysia's position as a shopping destination such as duty-free shopping destination status beginning 2011 - with the abolishment of import duties on 328 items including cosmetics and perfumes, leather goods, jewellery and clothing among others. "Its marks the country's efforts to be a heaven for luxury shopping. This move gives the Malaysian retail industry a boost and that it will attract a wider range of international retailers to invest in Malaysia. This in turn will ad variety and diversity to our retail landscape," he said. According to him, as a result of public and private partnerships and initiatives in tourism, a total of 24.7 million tourists visited Malaysia in 2011, generating a revenue of RM58. 3 billion. "Of this, shopping expenditure registered about RM17.5 billion compared to RM16.2 billion in 2010, signifying a growth of 1.3 per cent. "It constituted about 30 per cent of total tourist expenditure in 2011 compared to 28.7 per cent in 2010. In 2000, when the first Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival was organised, shopping only constituted 23.1 per cent of total tourist expenditures," he said. Adlin said that for this year's 1MMSC, 1Borneo Hypermall will be part of the campaign and an exciting instant redemption mechanism-Fly Stay! Shop! Fly with MASWings, Stay with Novotel Hotel/Grand Borneo Hotel/Courtyard Hotel and Shop at 1Borneo Hypermall will be a special reward to all shoppers or tourist to Sabah. This instant redemption is divided into two different segments which are catered for local customers and foreign shoppers or visitors. Also present were Deputy Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board Datuk Sari Suhut, State Director of Tourism Malaysia Mohd Roslan Abdullah, 1Borneo Hypermall Director Jefveleon Rengga and its operations manager Leben Siddarth Kuppusamy. Source : Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is trying its best to preserve its folk art and other expressive form of arts. Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said during the third Folk Art Exhibition opening ceremony at Ming Garden Hotel and Residences near here yesterday that folk art continued to be a reflection of the rich cultures of the people and needed to be perpetuated. As such, he said the study of local culture had been made into part of the state co-curriculum so that the young would continue to know some aspects of Sabah culture as they are part of the school system. He also told patrons of the event yesterday which comprised of participants of the 7th Sabah International Folklore Festival that Sabah was one of those places in the world where race and religion were never made into issues. “It is interesting that while some countries in the world still grapple with all sorts of ethic clashes and religious clashes, somehow in Sabah, we manage to stay true to the adage that all human beings are the same. Inter-marriages are common in Sabah, and in a single family unit, there are Christians, Muslims, Buddhists living in the same house…this is perhaps some form of achievement in Sabah,” he said. He added that despite being culturally diverse, the people remain integrated, even though they may practice different culture. Source : Borneo Post