Tourism Malaysia Buses Launched In Singapore

11 October 2011, Singapore – On 5 October, Tourism Malaysia launched their latest outdoor advertising platform on 50 single deck buses and 5 double-deckers using an estimated RM$1.1 million budget for an 8 month campaign.

The creatives used on the buses reinforces Tourism Malaysia’s 2011 advertising campaign “Malaysia, A Million Experiences to Share”.

The buses will cover the central business district (CBD), Orchard Shopping Belt and residential areas around the island to reach Singaporeans and tourists. This is part of Tourism Malaysia’s advertising campaign that includes newsprint, advertorials, radio, online and outdoor media mix.

Look out for these buses that are decked up in 3 types of creatives:

– Natural and Cultural wonders of Malaysia
– UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Penang and Malacca
– Unique Malaysian homestay and self-drive experiences

Malaysia’s Tourism Minister Dato’ Dr Ng Yen Yen was present together with Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Singapore Dato’ MD. Hussin Nayan cut the ribbons to launch the buses at the Marina Bay Sands.

During her session with the media and trade partners, she reiterated that tourism used to be a minor subsidiary of the economy but in today’s economic climate, tourism contributes to 30% of the economy. It is ranked fifth in Malaysia’s economy after Oil and Gas, Palm Oil, retail etc.

Tourism has contributed to 8.2% of GDP and RM$56.4 billion in receipts in 2010. Tourism has also provided 1.2 million jobs which makes up 10% of the labour force.

The 21st century is a century of tourism, a people economy. Collaboration and cooperation between countries have proliferated.

As part of the Malaysian Tourism Transformation Plan (MTTP), Malaysia hopes to bring in 36 million tourists and total receipts of RM$168 billion.

The Tourism Minister also spoke about the Malaysian events and initiatives :

– 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival 2011 in collaboration with 100 art galleries and 300 artists nationwide. Showcasing Malaysian artists from July to September 2010 RM14.4 million worth of art was sold within the 3 months. The first art auction was held last year selling 92% of the pieces. The most expensive artpiece was RM$157,000.

The Art Expo will be held from 26 to 28 October 2011. Pieces by Dali will also be on display.

– 1Malaysia Year End Sale and Duty Free Shopping. From 15 November 2011 to 1 Jan 2012, 300 duty exempted goods will be available.

– Fabulous Food 1Malaysia
Three main festivals would welcome gastronomes to Malaysia.

1. 11th Malaysia International Gourmet Festival themed “It’s Raining Chefs” offers over 30 restaurants celebrating international culinary excellence over the month of October.
2. The ASEAN Heritage Food Trail celebrates the rich, cultural diversity of Malaysians in November. Try out the traditional recipes.
3. The Malaysian Street Food Festival in December will travel from Johor Bahru, Kuala Terengganu, Kuching, Seremban, Petaling Jaya to Penang.  Enjoy the assortment of delicacies of street food culture.

– Parks and Gardens was recognized with 2 gold awards at Chelsea Flower Show in London.  With 22 parks and garden trails across the country, Malaysia is perfect for the eco tourist.

– Homestay Programme is for those who prefer a more immersive experience.  Available at over 226 locations nationwide from Kelantan and Phang to Negeri Sembilan.  Singaporeans have made up 52% of the nearly 150,000 total participants.

What’s in store in 2012?

Targeting at the higher-affluent Singaporeans, new experiences such as helicopter tours, luxury concierge services and luxury automotive journey routes across the country will be introduced.

Immigration crossing at the Causeway and Second Link was also talked about during the conversation with Dato’ Ng.  She mentioned that Malaysia would like to encourage frequent Singapore – Malaysia travelers to apply for the Malaysia Automated Clearing System (MACS) Kad to aid ease and expeditious entry into the country.  Currently available at RM30 or S$12 per year, the card can be applied at the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore.   Currently, there are 100,000 Singaporeans using this card.

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Adrian Eugene Seet, editor of SUPERADRIANME.com, has long shared his passion for travel, destinations, and air travel. His childhood love for exploration has evolved into a thriving career, with his engaging content inspiring others to discover new cultures. Taiwan is his new-found favourite destination, and he dreams of visiting the Andes. Adrian's work is driven by his curiosity for travel trends and a commitment to lifelong learning.

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