Thursday, April 11, 2019

MALAYSIA IS BACK - TOURISM MALAYSIA DIRECTOR GENERAL LEADS NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL TRADE MISSION

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is back in New Zealand as it prepares for Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM 2020), a landmark campaign that’s targeted to bring in 30 million international tourists and approximately NZD$35.5 billion (RM100 billion) in tourist receipts. The Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Musa Yusof, is leading a travel trade mission to Auckland on 11 April to reinforce the message that Malaysia is an important holiday destination for New Zealand travellers. The delegation consists of 10 organisations including one state tourism board, one tourism agency, one travel agent, one airline, 4 hotels and resorts, and 2 product owners. Major players and sponsors are Terengganu Tourism, Desaru Coast, Legoland, Malindo Air and Malaysia Airlines.

Datuk Musa says, "Malaysia has long-standing ties with New Zealand that extends to the Peace Corps, education and cultural exchanges as well as presenting an attractive holiday proposition to New Zealanders."

He adds, “New Zealand, like Malaysia, is a multi-ethnic and diverse population living in relative peace and harmony. We hope that this mutual connection will serve as a basis to strengthen our tourism relations with each other.”

He also noted that Malaysia’s blend of "culture, cuisine and nature" appeals strongly to New Zealanders’ innate sense of adventure which is made accessible by language, customs and some familiar aspects of Malay culture.

Malaysia offers a multi-faceted holiday that takes visitors from the shopping heavens of one of the world's most modern cities that is Kuala Lumpur, to the farthest reaches of Borneo's native jungles with its abundance of unique flora and fauna, to pristine waters where they can explore a magical underwater world or secluded island. Malaysia also presents an exceptional value-for-money proposition where the Kiwi dollar goes a long way in value and, in doing so, offers the opportunity to elevate both the standard and length of stay of their Malaysian holiday.

Datuk Musa adds, “Our main focus is to strengthen our economy and develop better policies to attract good investments for the nation to prosper. I encourage you to consider Malaysia as your ideal partner for your tourism growth and business expansion and look forward to seeing more tourism investments and partnerships in Malaysia.”

Datuk Musa will hold a special media briefing to address the trade players in Auckland, covering Malaysia’s tourism performance and future developments as well key tourist attractions (see below “Key Highlights of Malaysia’s Tourism Products”).

New Zealand is an important tourist source market for Malaysia. In 2018, a total of 50,698 New Zealanders visited Malaysia, which contributed to the overall 25.8 million international tourist arrivals to Malaysia. Malaysia aims to bring in 60,000 New Zealanders to Malaysia next year. There are currently 7 flights/week offering 2,009 seats from New Zealand to Malaysia.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF MALAYSIA’S TOURISM PRODUCTS:

Terengganu
Located on the eastern peninsula of Malaysia, the State of ‘beautiful' Terengganu is considered to be a "bucket list" item for visitors to Malaysia. A diverse and vibrant mix of history, culture, nature and eco experiences, Terengganu is world renowned for its turtle sanctuaries and pristine, white sandy beaches and islands.
www.beautifulterengganu.com

Sarawak
Sarawak is a kaleidoscope of culture, adventure, nature, food and festivals. It is home to one of the oldest rainforests on Earth and the largest cave chamber in the world. There is adventure around every corner, from the breezy highlands to the quiet beaches. Some 27 ethnic groups celebrate their unique cultures and festivals throughout the year, an eclectic blend of modern and traditional life, food, music and religious practices that can be found nowhere else. In Sarawak, there is always ‘More to Discover’.
www.sarawaktourism.com

Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council
The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) is a government agency under the Ministry of Finance, that has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing the country’s healthcare travel scene. It was founded in 2009 to facilitate and grow Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry under the brand “Malaysia Healthcare” with the intended goal of making Malaysia the leading global healthcare destination. Since then, MHTC has worked to streamline industry players and service providers into a more focused development strategy to raise Malaysia’s profile in healthcare travel on an international stage. It is an example of a successful model of public-private partnerships (PPP) in growing the healthcare travel sector in Malaysia.

Potential healthcare travellers can also obtain information on seeking healthcare in Malaysia including medical treatments, accommodation and travel at these websites:

Desaru Coast
Desaru Coast is a new integrated destination resort in Malaysia with a portfolio of globally renowned hotels and resorts, namely Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, as well as One&Only Desaru Coast. Desaru Coast is also home to Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark - one of the world’s biggest waterparks; Desaru Coast Conference Centre - a fully equipped conference facility; The Els Club Desaru Coast – 45 holes of golf in total with two distinct clubs; Ocean Course and Valley Course; and Desaru Coast Riverside – a 23-acre waterfront landscaped retail and lifestyle village. Desaru Coast spans over 3,900 acres along a pristine 17 km beachfront that faces eastwards over the clear ocean waters. The destination is set amid a rich bio-diverse location.
www.desarucoast.com

LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort
LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort brings together a LEGOLAND Theme Park, Water Park, SEA LIFE and Hotel in one LEGO® themed location. It is the ideal family holiday destination with more than 80 hands-on rides, slides, shows and attractions offering adventure, education and fun for action-packed day trips or short holidays. The Resort is specifically designed for families with children aged 2 to 12. SEA LIFE is the world’s largest aquarium brand and the latest addition to the Resort.
www.legoland.com.my

Malaysia Airlines – Your Preferred Airline to Malaysia & Beyond
Malaysia Airlines (MH) is the national carrier of Malaysia, currently operating 57 weekly services from Australia & New Zealand to its hub in KL International Airport (KLIA), Kuala Lumpur. Beyond KLIA, Malaysia Airlines connects 62 destinations in 20 countries with a modern fleet of Airbus A380-800, A330-300, A330-200 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The network includes extensive domestic and regional coverage across Malaysia. No other Malaysian carrier offers a comparable domestic, regional or global network solution when thinking about travel to, from and within Malaysia.

As a member of one world®, Malaysia Airlines and its partners in the global alliance offer a seamless travel experience to more than 1,000 destinations across the world.

For more information, please visit malaysiaairlines.com

MalindoAir
Malindo Air is a Malaysian airline with main hubs at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and city airport Subang Skypark in Selangor, Malaysia. The airline took to the skies in March 2013 and the fleet has grown exponentially to 13 ATR72-600 and 29 Boeing 737 as of Jan 2019. The airline also obtained the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). Today, the airline operates over 800 flights weekly across a continuously growing network of about 57 routes covering 17 countries in the region of Asia and Australia. Also an IATA airline member, Malindo Air codeshares with Turkish Airline, Lion Air, Batik Air and is an interlining partner to Xiamen Air, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Turkish Airline, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Oman Air.

For updates on Malindo Air’s latest activities and promotions, please connect with us via Twitter (https://twitter.com/malindoair), Facebook (facebook.com/MalindoAirMalaysia) or Instagram (instagram.com/malindoair).


For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia’s tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia’s website at http://www.tourism.gov.my/ 

MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD OR TOURISM MALAYSIA is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2018, Malaysia registered 25.8 million tourist arrivals and RM84.1 billion tourist receipts, placing it among the major tourism destinations of the world.

SOURCE: Tourism Malaysia

New Zealand Media Enquiries:
Name : Mr Rosli Reshid Mohd Saini
Director
Email : rosli@tourism.gov.my
Tel : +6493096290

--BERNAMA

Monday, April 8, 2019

GRAB LAUNCHES NEW BENEFITS FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA'S TRAVELLERS AT KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND AIRPORTS ACROSS THE REGION

Grab Platinum and Gold members to get up to 55% discount at airport lounges and restaurants  
Most significant expansion of the GrabRewards catalogue since launch in 2017

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Bernama) -- Grab, the leading super app in Southeast Asia today launches a new suite of travel benefits for Grab Platinum and Gold members traveling in Malaysia and across the region. Grab has signed up more than 150 partners in all major airports across Southeast Asia including Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Benefits include access to close to 70 lounges in major airports around the region, at rates of up to 55% off, and discounts up to 20% at over 80 F&B partners. All new deals can be redeemed through the GrabRewards catalogue in the Grab app. This represents the most significant expansion of the GrabRewards catalogue since its launch in 2017.

In Malaysia, Grab users are offered special rates starting from RM80 for Platinum user, RM100 for Gold and RM130 for Silver to relax at selected Plaza Premium Lounge outlets in airports across Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi and Kuching. In addition to this, Grab users can also enjoy up to 20% discounts at selected F&B outlets like Fight Club (Satellite building), The Chicken Rice Chop, Burger King and Popeyes, applicable only at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

“Grab data shows the national airports consistently comes up as one of the top passenger pick-up points in Malaysia and across the region. With travel as being such an important part of our customers’ lives, we now aim to provide a great overall experience for Southeast Asia’s road warriors and savvy trippers. From a seamless payments experience and a safe ride to and from the airport, to now additional benefits at the airport,“ said Sean Goh, Country Head of Grab Malaysia.

Tourism is on the rise in Southeast Asia, with the size of the region’s overall travel market estimated at US$149 billion in 2017. Traveling within Southeast Asia in particular is expected to grow in popularity for the fast-growing region. According to the ASEAN Secretariat, intra-ASEAN travellers in 2015 already made up 42 per cent of the region’s overall tourist numbers. The intra-Southeast Asian traveller segment accounts for over 37 million trips, according to Grab market research data.

Having served travellers across the Southeast Asia region for over 6 years, the Grab platform recognises the various travel preferences and have introduced new services and benefits that cater to those needs. Malaysia alone welcomed 25.8 million visitors in 2018, with the highest amount of traffic from Singapore and Indonesia. Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) was the top pick-up point amongst Southeast Asians. The top pick-up point for Singaporean visitors to the country was in Johor Bahru, where they visited popular shopping destinations like KSL City Mall and City Square, while Indonesians visitors flocked to Penang for its medical tourism. 

Click here for Top 3 pick-up points for overseas Grab bookings

For more insights into how Southeast Asians travel around the region, please click the link here. Grab has also visualised some of its travel insights in an interactive map that allows you to engage with the travel data directly.  For a full list of exclusive GrabRewards benefits, click here.
 
About Grab
Grab is the leading super app in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 138 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 9 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab has the region’s largest land transportation fleet and has completed over 3 billion rides since its founding in 2012. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food and package delivery services, across 336 cities in eight countries.

Source: Arcis Communications
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Liew Sue Ling
Arcis Communications
Tel: +6 016-2354225
Email: sueling@arciscommunications.com
 
Name: Nurul Atiqah Mustapa
Arcis Communications
Tel: +6 019-2341115
Email: atiqah@arciscommunications.com
 
--BERNAMA 

Thursday, April 4, 2019

VISTAJET LAUNCHES GLOBAL PET TRAVEL PROGRAM AS IT SEES A 104% INCREASE IN ANIMALS FLYING

VistaPet: the expert solution to make flying with pets as simple as possible


NEW YORK, April 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, announced today the launch of VistaPet, the most comprehensive program designed to ensure all passengers feel welcome – even if they are four-legged.

Emerging travel behavior trends highlight why offering solutions to provide for animals is increasingly important:
  • VistaJet has seen a 104% increase in the number of animals flown over the last two years;
  • One in four VistaJet Members flies regularly with their loyal companions, and an estimated 30 million people travel with their pets each year;
  • There was a 47% increase in the number of dogs flying on board VistaJet in 2018 against the previous year;
  • For many, pets are simply part of the family – 95% of American animal owners agree as they become increasingly integrated into our lives;
  • Travel standards to date have failed to reach expected service levels, with 75% of owners distrusting commercial airlines to safely care for their pets, making the journey stressful for both animal and human.
VistaPet has been designed in collaboration with experienced veterinary practitioners, groomers, dieticians and coaches to respond to the needs and challenges faced when traveling with animals. From care kits, sleep mats and balanced menus, to travel advice, global flying regulations and fear of flying courses, all VistaJet passengers can expect the same exceptional service and support.

The most comfortable journey with a pet starts with a simplified booking service, continues with a happy and uneventful flight, and ends at a pet friendly destination. The VistaPet program includes:

Simply Ready to Fly
Unfortunately, there are no standard rules for the transport of pets around the globe. To ensure a seamless travel experience, VistaJet’s customer service team advises passengers on the regulations that apply to their flights and destinations when traveling with pets, including details for vaccinations, microchips, certificates and permits.

Sometimes, flying with a scared pet can transform a perfect flight into a very long one. To ensure all passengers enjoy their flight, VistaJet can arrange fear of flying courses for dogs, in partnership with The Dog House. The four-week course desensitizes pets to what they could experience during a flight – the smell of fuel, the sounds of jet engines, cabin air pressure and the movements of air turbulence.

A Safe and Stress-Free Flight
On board every flight, passengers will receive a VistaPet Pochette – a travel bag containing a collection of items to take care of pets during and after a flight. Bio-organic pet food from Rockster will provide pets with high-quality nutrients in the air or on arrival. The flavorful selection of Random Rewards treats, created by Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux, is a unique mixture of dog training treats. Kibble Pet’s Travel Care Kit includes water-free shampoos and soothing wipes for salon quality fur care – a perfect way to help pets relax on board. Rope toys by Furzu will also keep dogs entertained throughout the flight.

Following advice from Clinical Veterinarian, Dr. Bruce Fogle, VistaJet has developed a balanced menu to keep Members’ pets hydrated and healthy. VistaJet Cabin Hostesses can also offer natural flower essences to mix with pets’ drinking water to aid relaxation during the flight.

The safety and comfort of all passengers is of the utmost importance to VistaJet. While flying regulations require that animals are kept on leash or in a travel cage for take-off and landing, during flight pets can relax by their owner’s side on a handmade Labbvenn sleep mat. A full cabin reclean is included as standard after every pet flight.

Welcome at Destination
The VistaPet program makes traveling with pets seamless, even at destination. To help entire trips be enjoyable, VistaJet has selected a collection of pet-friendly facilities and partners all around the globe – whether Members require a pet hotel in London, the best pet salon in New York or a photography session to capture moments with pets around the world, VistaJet is there to advise. The team can also assist in finding pet walkers and trainers, or suggest unforgettable experiences including pet yoga, rafting and surfing.

The world is complex. Seamless travel for all, starts with VistaJet.

For more information on VistaPetwww.vistajet.com/pets

Contact
Jennifer Farquhar | VistaJet | T: +44 203 617 3077 | jennifer.farquhar@vistajet.com

About VistaJet
VistaJet is the first and only global aviation company. On its fleet of over 70 silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries, covering 96% of the world. Founded in 2004 by Thomas Flohr, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet whilst paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet’s signature Program membership offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long-range jets, to fly them anytime, anywhere. Customers can also request Direct one-off flights through the industry’s first end-to-end booking app or a 24/7 global team.

VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding – the world leader in business flight solutions, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset lite solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com

VistaJet and its subsidiaries are not U.S. direct air carriers.  VistaJet Limited is a European air carrier that operates 9H registered aircraft under its Maltese Air Operator Certificate No. MT-17. VistaJet US Inc. and VistaJet Online and Mobile Services Limited are air charter brokers and do not operate aircraft. All VistaJet-owned and U.S. registered aircraft are operated by properly licensed U.S. direct air carriers.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7485a966-59bd-469b-b77e-5c0f65da1e95

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5006d8e-86cb-4a4a-9ee9-ccebe9b0824f

SOURCE : VistaJet Ltd

--BERNAMA