Tourism Malaysia Intensifies Promotional Campaign To Lure Indonesian Tourists

By Ahmad Fuad Yahya JAKARTA, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia is intensifying its promotional campaign here in a bid to lure more Indonesian tourists to visit Malaysia. Its deputy director in Indonesia Norlizah Jahaya said the campaign was promoting, among others, Malaysia's world-class shopping centres, real estate under the Malaysia My Second Home programme, Meeting, Incentive, Convention and exhibition (MICE) activities, as well as annual event such as Formula One Grand Prix, shoe festival, mega sales and golf tournaments. She said other activities like travel fairs and travel marts were also being held in major cities namely Jakarta, Surabaya and Semarang, which were connected via direct flights from Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia's northern state of Penang. Apart from that, she said such a promotional activity was also being held at selected elite and international schools. "Tourism Malaysia in Indonesia is using various approaches in promoting Malaysia as a tourist destination, including by forging a smart partnership with an international bank, which has registered 1.7 million credit card holders, in a bid to reach out to the targeted group," she said. Norlizah said the effort to promote Malaysia's popular tourist destinations would also be carried out during several major events in the republic, such as the Java Jazz Festival 2012 scheduled to be held in here from March 2 to 4. A special booth will also be set up to sell Malaysia's popular breakfast "roti canai" and "teh tarik" during the festival, she said. Indonesia is the second largest tourism market for Malaysia after Singapore. Tourism Malaysia director in Indonesia Jamil Darus, had on Thursday, organised a special programme, dubbed "Travex" in Balik Papan, East Kalimantan, to introduce 13 Malaysian hotel operators and travel agencies to 60 Indonesian travel agencies from Balik Papan and Samarinda. At the same time, a tourism seminar for Indonesian media and travel agaencies was also held at the Malaysian Embassy here to promote luxury holidays to Taaras Beach and Spa Resort, in Redang Island, Terengganu, and The Cheteau, Spa and Organic Wellness Resort and Colmar Tropicale, in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang. -- BERNAMA