TAR, Merlin in talks to bring in more attractions

THEMED Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd (TAR), are in talks with Merlin Entertainments Group to discuss the possibility of opening other attractions in Malaysia.

Managing director and chief executive Tunku Datuk Ahmad Burhanuddin said other attractions under Merlin Entertainment would be located in other parts of the country.

"We are in negotiations with Merlin Entertainments to offer other products under the group but they would be on a smaller scale compared with Legoland Malaysia," he said.

However, he said negotiations were in the initial stages as the focus right now was on the Legoland Malaysia theme park.
TAR, the recreation and tourism division under Khazanah Nasional, Merlin Entertainments and Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) collaborated to develop the RM720 million Legoland Malaysia theme park.

Legoland Malaysia, the first in Malaysia and sixth in the world, was officially opened on September 15, drawing thousands of visitors from home and abroad.

Besides Legoland Malaysia, Themed Attractions will unveil water attractions such as Ocean Splash Water Park and Ocean Quest Marine Park in Desaru Coast and the Legoland Hotel which would open for business in 2014, all at a cost of RM1.6 billion.

Besides the Legoland theme park, other attractions available under Merlin Entertainments include the Madame Tussauds wax museum, Sea Life, The Dungeons, The EDF Energy London Eye, Heide Park and Warwick Castle.

On Legoland Malaysia, Ahmad Burhanuddin said it was the first of its kind in Asia and had exceeded expectations. It is expected to spur the further development of the state and Iskandar Malaysia.

He said the opening of the Legoland Malaysia theme park had a multiplier effect on the state's hotel, services, transport, food and beverage industries.

"Many industries and the local economy will receive the positive multiplier effect from the opening of Legoland Malaysia," he said adding that hotels in Johor Baru were fully booked since the opening.

To date, 80,000 annual passes to Legoland Malaysia have been sold.

Ahmad Burhanuddin said preparations were now underway for the November unveiling of the much anticipated Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park in Nusajaya which promises to bring many unique 'first' and exciting new experiences to the state.

The Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park will offer attractions such as Hello Kitty, Lat's Place, Angelina Ballerina, Bob The Builder, Barney, Pingu, Thomas and Friends and many others.

Bernama

Johor set to become Malaysia's movie capital

JOHOR BARU: The development of Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Iskandar Malaysia will position Johor at the forefront of the local creative industry and transform it into Malaysia's movie capital, says its chief executive, Michael Lake.

He said that while Pinewood was marketing Malaysia as a destination for film-making, it was also promoting it for companies to set up their infrastructure as well.

"Johor is going to be the real beneficiary economically of what we're doing here," he said.

By the end of 2013, he said, the development of Pinewood, a studio complex located on a 20ha site in Nusajaya at the heart of the Iskandar Malaysia Development Region, would have created 1,500 jobs in an export-oriented industry, while financing from overseas over the next decade was estimated to be around RM1.8 billion.
It will be the largest independent integrated studio facility in Southeast Asia, offering state-of-the-art film stages, TV studios and post-production suites from early 2013.

Pinewood will have two television studios, both 12,000 sq ft in area, with seating capacities of 600 and 800 people, respectively.

In addition, there will be five film stages covering a total of 100,000 sq ft, two 20,000 sq ft stages, two 15,000 sq ft stages and a 30,000 sq ft stage.

The largest stage will have a water tank for productions involving work on or under water.

"This is not just about building the facilities in the hope that people will come, it's about building a big creative industry in Malaysia," said Lake, adding that providing training and opportunity were also Pinewood's key goals.

Shamsul Cairel Abdul Karim, a local filmmaker at Maskarya Sdn Bhd, described the entry of Pinewood as a breath of fresh air because, besides offering new jobs, it would enable Malaysian film-makers to take advantage of its vast experience.

"It knows the tricks of the trade well, which means it can do things much better from a technical perspective and, in turn, push forward local content and production," he said.

"Pinewood will be a one-stop shop. A producer could walk up to the front door with a script and leave at the end of the production with a file ready to go to the broadcast television or the cinema," he said.

"What we are doing is laying the foundations of an international industry. We have started marketing in the US and Europe, and have received lots of interest out of India about filming here," said Lake.

Bernama

Malaysian restaurants cook up a storm overseas

MALAYSIAN restaurants under the brand name Malaysia Kitchen Programmes (MKP) are slowly but surely gaining a foothold in the overseas markets.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said there was a 42.5 per cent increase in number of new Malaysian restaurants registered with MKP.

In terms of revenue, participating MKP restaurants in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand registered a combined 23.7 per cent increase in revenue.

"Going forward, leveraging on the image and growing popularity of MKP to win confidence of consumers in the market, efforts are being taken to bring Malaysia into every home in targeted markets through supplies of products and services," he told a news conference here, last night.
The MKP, with the primary objective to brand Malaysia through its cuisine, began in 2006.

It has gone through various agencies and ministries, such as the Economic Planning Unit and the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development. It was then put under the Ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs before it was assigned to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) in late 2009.

Mustapa said over the past two years, MKP has evolved to become a national branding initiative. Through an integrated and holistic approach, the MKP introduces Malaysian products and services that spans from food to non-food.

It has also elevated Malaysia's offerings in tourism in major cities such as New York, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland and Wellington.

In 2010, a survey showed that there were 454 Malaysian restaurants worldwide located mainly in Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Netherlands and New Zealand.

This year, the number of Malaysian restaurants worldwide has risen to 647.

Mustapa said Matrade' promotional initiatives in 2010 were focused on "creating a buzz" in seven major cities in four mainstay markets, namely the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

A year later, it was expanded to include three cities in China and Hong Kong.

"The number of restaurants has increased about 42.5 per cent since the relaunch of MKP in 2010," he said.

The minister added that about 1.3 billion people in New York, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland and Wellington learned about Malaysia through the MKP media programme.

Currently, some 1,056 Malaysian product lines representing 265 brands are on the shelves of 50 mainstream supermarkets in London, New York, Sydney and Auckland.

Besides, a total of 864 reviews on the MKP's activities undertaken were lodged in the largest On-line Food Guide in London and New York.

For the first time, Malaysian restaurants have received Michelin awards in New York and recognition in Hong Kong.

Mustapa said the Malaysia Kitchen Programme has also spurred more Malaysian franchises abroad and led to the establishment of a Malaysian restaurant association in the United Kingdom.

By Zaidi Isham Ismail

Best Western out to take Malaysia by storm

BEST Western International (BWI), the world's largest hotel chain, plans to take Malaysian market by storm with the target to have 20 hotels in the country by 2015.

President and chief executive of Trinidad Group of Companies, Naresh Mohan said there are currently six hotels under construction, with a collective development value of around RM1 billion.

Three hotels - Best Western Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur, Best Western Premier The Haven in Ipoh, Perak, and Best Western Premier MITC in Melaka - will be opened in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Two hotels - Best Western Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, and Best Western Plus CentreStage in Petaling Jaya Section 13, Selangor - will be opened in 2014 and Best Western Plus 1 Gateway Klang, Selangor, will be opened in 2015.
"Our goal is to reach at least 20 hotels with over 2000 hotel rooms by 2015," he said during the launch of BWI's luxury brand, Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, last week.

Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, located in the rapidly developing commercial and business district of KL Sentral, was developed by Amanah Raya Bhd with an investment of RM280 million.

Trinidad Group is the operator of BWI hotels in Malaysia and currently operates five BWI brand hotels in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Pangkor Island, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, chairman of Tourism Malaysia Datuk Dr. Victor Wee said it is delightful to see BWI enter into the Malaysian market.

He said this is a reflection of confidence in the future of the country by an international brand and reflects well for the nation's future growth.

"We as a country need to continuously promote our culture, arts and heritage in drawing more tourists to our beautiful nation. The addition of Best Western International in Malaysia will definitely aid our endeavor to promote Malaysia," he said.

He added that the number of international visitors to Malaysia was 7.9 million in 1999 and it generated RM12.3 billion. In 2011, the number of the visitors rose to 24.9 million which generated RM58.3 billion.

By 2015, this figure is predicted to grow to a staggering 29.7 million tourists generating RM115 billion in incomes for Malaysia, he said.