Travel Agents Federation of India Selects Kuching As Convention Venue In September

By Anthony Tan
VIRGIN Communications
email: anthonykhtan@yahoo.co.uk 

Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (right)

speaking to the representatives from TAFI during

their courtesy call 

The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) has picked Kuching to hold its convention from 20-23 September since its last one was held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates in 2018.

In Malaysia, TAFI had held its convention in Kuala Lumpur in 1999 and in Kota Kinabalu in 2007.

With over 1,400 active members who are tour operators and travel agents who account for about 70% of the outbound travel agents in India, the majority of them are also International Air Transport Association (IATA) accredited agents.

TAFI managing committee led by its president Ajay Prakash recently visited Kuching for multiple convention and facilities site inspections besides calling on Sarawak’s Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The minister says TAFI’s convention 2022’s theme, Build Back Better, is very much aligned with Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, with the state aspiring to empower the community and ensuring a sustainable environment. 

He believes the convention will be a catalyst to entice more visitors from India to visit Sarawak in the near future. 

TAFI President Ajay Prakash 

Elaborating on the theme, Prakash, who is also Nomad Travels chief executive officer, says it is vital that the tourism industry does not forget the lessons of the pandemic, adding that as one of the biggest global industries, the power of tourism to shape the world is phenomenal. 

Build Back Better encapsulates the resolve to rebuild tourism in a more responsible and sustainable manner.

With the Indian market is growing, we are constantly looking for new destinations, products and experiences. Sarawak has the potential to become a popular destination as today’s generation is concerned about the planet’s conservation and sustainability, he adds.

Concurring with him are TAFI’s convention committee chairman Seeraj Singh Sabharwal and its deputy chairman Jigar Dudakiya.

Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (4th from right), Snowdan Lawan (Centre) Deputy
Minister for Creative Industry and Performing Arts posing for a group photo with 

representatives from TAFI, Sarawak Tourism Board, Sarawak Convention Bureau
and Tourism Malaysia

According to Sabharwal, Sarawak is a relatively unexplored destination for Indian  and a suitable destination for family Travel, honeymooners, weddings, business events, including for the film industry.

Dudakiya says Borneo Convention Centre Kuching has been selected as the venue for their convention this year because of its state-of-the-art equipment and facilities such as WIFI besides its ability to host up to 5,000 persons, among other things.

The convention package for the delegates will include three nights of pre- or post-tours to beautiful places within Malaysia.

#TAFI
#Travel Agents Federation of India

#Sarawak Tourism Board

#Sarawak Convention Bureau

#Tourism Malaysia

#Outbound Travel Agents

#Borneo Convention Centre Kuching

#Business events

#MICE

#Meetngs & Conventions

Country Music Festivals: Miri Country Music Festival 2022 In November

By Anthony Tan
VIRGIN Communications

email: anthonykhtan@yahoo.co.uk

After Sarawak’s successful run of the recent 25^th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) and the Borneo Jazz Festival (BJF), the state is now gearing up for the eighth edition of Miri Country Music Festival (MCMF), which is set to return on 25-26 November at Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club in Miri.

At a media conference held recently, Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah expresses his confidence that the MCMF will be able attract not only the local music festival attendees but also from the surrounding regions as before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

MCMF used to attract festival seekers from nearby Bintulu as well as those in Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia and regional visitors from Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia. 

Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club

The local communities in northern part of Sarawak have an affection for country music and the Mirians would don cowboy outfits in the past festivals.

Abdul Karim commends MCMF organiser for staging the festival in Miri, the gateway to Sarawak’s tourism attractions in the northern region.

By also partnering with its Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (Statos) to market the event and coupled with the direct flights from Singapore, he urges special holiday tour packages that include MCMF tickets and two nights of country music fiesta to be created.

Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (4th from left) with Gracie Geikie (3rd from left), Dennis Ngau (2nd from left) and Hii Chang Kee (extreme left) handing over the venue’s plaque to Chief Executive Officer of Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club Kueh Chie Tiong.

During their stay here, festival goers can also explore the many tourism destinations in Sarawak’s northern region such as the world heritage site Mulu National Park and the Bario Highlands. 

Over the years, MCMF has featured many local and international bands with different styles of country music, with foreign artistes from Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Britain, Germany, Czech Republic and the United States (US).

Abdul Karim remarks, “It is good to see MCMF supporting both Malaysian and international country music performers as this gives Sarawak’s own musicians a platform to showcase and promote their music alongside their international counterparts.” 

Festival founder Gracie Geikie says, “MCMF 2022’s international line-up includes Tantowi Yahya from Indonesia; Johnny Loda Trio, a combo from Italy, Thailand and the United Kingdom; Cambodia Country Band from the US and Cambodia; and Ramon Cedillo from Singapore.

Tantowi Yahya from Indonesia will back to perform at MCMF 2022

The Malaysian performers are Kamal Bukhary, Lyia Meta and Miri’s own Sessions a.k.a session: the Band, Country Roads and Mountain Wind.”

She adds, “We have selected several corporate social responsibility (CSR) partners to collaborate and work with for MCMF this year. 

“They are The Federation of Orang Ulu Associations Sarawak Malaysia (FORUM), Miri Photography Society, Miri Performing Arts Association and Borneo Medical Centre Miri.”

MCMF performers and festival goers are encouraged to join its CSR initiative, The Buku Project, by bringing their second- hand books to the event to be donated to children and residents of Long Lama and Long Atip, to help educate and improve the literacy in these rural areas.

MCMF tickets are now on sale for early birds at RM80 for a day pass and RM120 for a two-day pass.

Meanwhile, also present the recent MCMF media briefing in Miri were Deputy Minister Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I Datuk Sebastian Ting; Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, who is also Sarawak Tourism Board chairman; permanent secretary to Abdul Karim’s ministry Hii Chang Kee and Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club chief executive Kueh Chie Tiong.

MCMF, which held its inaugural event in 2014 in Miri, is believed to be the first country music festival in Malaysia that made Miri as its home ground.

#Country Music Festival

#Miri Country Music Festival 2022  

#Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club

#Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore

#Tantowi Yahya

#Johnny Loda Trio

#Tourism Malaysia

#Sarawak Tourism Board

#Miri City

Sarawak Tourism Board Intensifies Domestic Tourist Arrivals From Northern Region Of Peninsular Malaysia

By Anthony Tan
VIRGIN Communications

email: anthonykhtan@yahoo.co.uk

Sarawak Tourism Board booth at
MITM 2022

The Malaysian International Travel Mart (MITM) 2022 held at the SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Baru over this weekend from 2-3 July will see Sarawak Tourism Board’s (STB) promoting attractive and affordable tourism packages to the Land of the Hornbills.

Organised by the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA), MITM 2022, which opens from 10am to 9pm, is targeting holiday seekers from the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. 

STB deputy chief executive officer for marketing communication, research and private corporate relations, Suriya Charles Buas views STB’s timely participation in MITM as vital for Sarawak’s visibility in its promotion of the state’s rich history, culture, festivals, food and unique tourism products to MITM.

STB is collaborating with the local travel agents representing their counterparts in Sarawak to promote exciting travel packages. 

Firefly Airlines Uses Boeing 737-800 Penang-Kuching Direct Flight

They include Kuching city tour, Mulu’s four show caves, Bako National Park, golf packages, Miri city tour, Bario Highlands and other tailored made tour-packages to enticed holiday seekers to Sarawak.

Visitors purchasing any of these Sarawak travel packages during the two-day fair will be rewarded with limited-edition made-in-Sarawak souvenirs.

Beautiful Sunset At Sematan Beach Outside Kuching City Centre

The recent relaunch of Penang-Kuching-Penang daily flights by Firefly’s jet services will make both destinations seamless for leisure and business travellers. 

“Currently, there are 35 direct flights from Penang weekly into Sarawak to facilitate travellers from Penang to enjoy the best that Sarawak can offer,” he adds.

Earlier in June, Firefly partnered with Tourism Malaysia to promote domestic tourism through livery advertising and the #GoJalanLah campaign.

Running from 1 June 2022 to 31 May, 2023, the #GoJalanLah campaign offers holiday packages and attractive flight tickets. 

#GoJalanLah

#SarawakTourismBoard

#Firefly

#TourismMalaysia

#Kuching

#Sametan

#MCTA

#MITM2022

#MalaysiaAirlines