PETALING JAYA, 12 Nov 2013 – A total of 107 celebrities, media and tour agents from ASEAN partnered with children from underprivileged background for a day of fun learning at KidZania in a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme organised by Tourism Malaysia.

The group was taken on an exciting tour to experience various real-life adult professions at KidZania. The purpose of this quest was to bring the underprivileged children for a day of fun learning at KidZania where the adults and children will need to “work” in adult jobs and participate in the various activities in KidZania town to earn ‘KidZos’ (KidZania currency).

StART Society is an academy dedicated to serve the underprivileged children community where arts are used to bring healing and rebuild their self-esteem. 

“This partnership gives an opportunity for the children to learn about other interesting culture and countries in ASEAN from the delegates. It also gives them an opportunity to build a relationship with the delegates and be exposed to alternative professions that they might want to pursue later in their lives,” said Christine Alphonse, PR and Events Manager of StART Society.

The ASEAN Explore Quest Malaysia 2013 is a week-long programme organised by Tourism Malaysia from 11 November until 17 November. It is a combination of exploring, corporate social responsibility, homestay, and photography competitions. The participants will be travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Perak and Langkawi by train and bus, while engaging in various activities along the way. 

They will experience city tours, visit KidZania and Kellie’s Castle, experience rail tourism, witness a mock traditional Malay wedding ceremony, and participate in community activities and traditional games.

The programme, specially organised by Tourism Malaysia for the first time, marks an effort to ensure the continual growth of tourist arrivals from the ASEAN market especially during the celebrations of Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2014. 

The programme offers the media and travel agents first-hand information on the country’s tourism products, which will enable them to promote and sell Malaysia better and with more confidence. Other elements like culture, people, and nature will also be given emphasis in all the activities especially for the photography competition.

Through the tours, it is hoped that travel agents can provide more exciting and attractive holiday packages, while the media can share their first-hand experiences with their readers.

The ASEAN Explore Quest Malaysia 2013 also involves the participation of ASEAN celebrities, who will help to boost the promotion of the country’s tourist destinations and raise the awareness of VMY 2014 through social media and their fan clubs. They include supermodel and singer Phan Le Ai Phuong from Vietnam, TV host and choreographer Sheenalyn Vera Cruz from the Philippines, actress Chaw Chaw Yu Mon Kyaw Tint from Myanmar.

In order to ensure the success of this programme, Tourism Malaysia has forged a smart partnership with The Star and Star Radio Group which comprises Suria FM, Capital FM, Red FM and 988 (official media partners), Malaysia Airlines (the official airline), and AirAsia (the official low cost carrier). 

In addition, Tourism Malaysia also received support from various organisations, which include the Perak State Government, the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), and Malayan Railways (KTM), as well as DiGi, KidZania Kuala Lumpur, Munchy’s, Nippon Paint, Pensonic and Pepsico.

In 2012, a total of 18.8 million tourists from ASEAN countries visited Malaysia. For this year, the country has set a target to attract 19.9 million tourists from this region. For the first half of 2013, Malaysia has already received 9.2 million tourists from ASEAN countries. 

ENDS