Malaysia aims to be Asian arts hub
As Malaysia prepares to celebrate its 53rd year of independence on August 31, it is stepping up efforts to position itself as the new Asian travel destination with diversified attractions.
Included among those plans are to establish Malaysia as an Asian arts hub, with its first art auction last month notching up M$1.5 million (HK$3.66 million) worth of sales for local artists.
'The Malaysian government is committed to promoting art tourism and turning the country into an Asian hub,' Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen said in Hong Kong last week. 'The auction was a landmark event in Malaysian art history and a first step towards establishing a strong secondary art market.'
Malaysia will take part in the Hong Kong International Arts and Antiques Fair in October. 'We need to start building connections now and collaborating with other countries so that we can showcase our art in other countries,' Ng said.
Also included among the plans is a second Malaysia Shoe Festival after a successful one in April this year that was attended by international shoe designer Jimmy Choo.
'A lot of people are not aware that Malaysia has one of the oldest shoe industries in the region,' Ng said.
Malaysia is well-positioned to attract some of the tourists who are avoiding Bangkok because of safety concerns. With the same warm, sunny weather, a plethora of local cuisine and some of the biggest malls in the region, Kuala Lumpur and Penang have the same attractions on offer for city lovers.
The country is also home to pristine island resorts, such as those on the islands of Langkawi, Tioman and Redang on the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula, and Sipadan in eastern Malaysia.
Redang, which has two historic shipwrecks, has regularly been voted one of the best dive sites in the world and was also the location setting for a Hong Kong film, Summer Holiday, starring Sammi Cheng Sau-man and Richie Jen Hsien-chi. Malaysia has also recently launched a home-stay programme, allowing visitors to live with a local family and experience kampung (village) life. 'They'll be able to experience things like tapping rubber or picking durians, and see how our villagers live,' Ng said. All the home-stay operators - there are more than 3,000 - have to register with the ministry and be vetted before they are added to the list, Ng added. 'We want to make sure that these villagers offer authenticity and that they are in the rural areas.'
Ng is hoping the new plans will enhance lucrative tourism events, such as the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival, Food festival and the Petronas Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix.
