MAEPS To Become New Agro-Tourism Attraction

PUTRAJAYA, March 3 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Agriculture Exhibition Park (MAEPS) in Serdang will become a new attraction for the national agro-tourism sector with the opening of the agriculture park and state pavilions to the public. Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the ministry was in the midst of talks with the relevant parties including the Tourism and Culture Ministry and state representatives on the matter. He said the agriculture park will be open every day beginning next month while the state pavilions are expected to be open in three months time every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, to promote each state's culture. "We are still discussing, including on the role of the states and the contributions which should be made to promote their pavilions," he told reporters after launching the 2015 Agro-tourism Seminar here Tuesday. "For instance, Sarawak will not only promote food during MAHA (the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agrotourism Show), but would also showcase its cultural shows," he added. Ismail Sabri said agrotourism had a huge potential as it could be an attraction to tourists especially from Europe, Japan and Asia. "In fact, Singapore also has a syllabus in their education system relating to tourism, but it is common knowledge, they do not have places like orchards and caged fish farms," he said. -- BERNAMA