RELIANCE PACIFIC SET ON EXPANDING TRAVEL FRANCHISE SYSTEM TO INDONESIA

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- Reliance Pacific Bhd has set its sight on
expanding its travel franchise system into the Indonesian market in the next two
years, said its Managing Director-Travel Division, Tan Sin Chong.

The programme, called Reliance Travel Franchise System (RTFS) is managed by
its subsidiary, Ideal Malaysian Support Sdn Bhd.

Todate, it has a total of 23 outlets in Malaysia, of which 14 are
franchisee outlets.

Tan said the company was now busy promoting their brand in Indonesia and
hoped to open their first Reliance outlet there by mid next year.

It has allocated RM2 million (US$626,174) )US$1=RM3.19) to promote
Reliance's brand in Indonesia over a three-year period.

"We already have a representative office in Indonesia. We are the first to
offer travel franchise system in Malaysia and will also be the first in
Indonesia," he told reporters here Wednesday.

The company, which has its own Reliance outlets in Singapore, Thailand,
Hong Kong and Australia, is also looking to expand its brand regionally.

"Franchise will be our major focus right now. Our focus now is Indonesia and
we are looking forward to penetrating other markets too," he said.

He said Reliance also planned to open five more outlets locally in the
second half of the year namely in Penang, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Sibu and
Kuantan.

"The travel industry has maintained a steady growth despite the calamities
affecting the world," he added.

For the current financial year which will end March 31, 2011, he said the
company's travel division was expected to see a growth of between 37 and 40 per
cent.

Last year, the travel segment contributed 60 per cent to the group's
revenue.

--BERNAMA