KUALA LUMPUR, 14 Nov 2014 – Tourism Malaysia is hosting the ASEAN Explore Quest Malaysia programme from 14 to 21 November 2014. A total of 100 participants from 10 ASEAN countries, comprising celebrities, media and tour agents, will be joining this “Amazing Race” type event that combines exploration, corporate social responsibility, homestays, and social media photography competitions into one exciting race across some of Malaysia’s best tourist destinations.

The race will go through four states, namely Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, and Penang. The participants will travel by bus from Kuala Lumpur to Negeri Sembilan and Johor, and then proceed to Penang via flight while engaging in various activities along the way!

The challenges and activities will emphasise on culture, people, nature and food, in line with Tourism Malaysia’s efforts to promote the Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFEST) 2015 campaign.

The race will also expose the participants to some of the country’s best tourism products, which will help them to promote and sell Malaysia better. Through their experiences, the media will be able to provide first-hand information to their readers or viewers, while the travel agents can develop new holiday packages for their clients.

Additionally, the participation of ASEAN celebrities will also help raise the awareness of MyFEST 2015 and boost the promotion of the country’s tourist destinations through their social media following and fan clubs.

Celebrities who will be joining this year’s ASEAN Explore Quest Malaysia include former Miss World Malaysia 2008 and singer Soo Wincci, Miss Myanmar International 2014 Khin Wai Phyo, Thai singer-actress-model Ying Kanyapatch, Indonesian actress Mytha Lestari, and Vietnamese singer-actress Nguyen Thi Phoun.

Malaysia Airlines is the official airline of the ASEAN Explore Quest Malaysia 2014. It flies to ASEAN countries with a total of 355 flights weekly and 58,508 seats capacity per week. The event is also supported by DiGi, Themed Attractions Malaysia, Sheraton Imperial, Grand Lexis, Shangri-la Golden Sands and LEGOLAND.

The ASEAN market remains as the largest contributor of tourist arrivals to Malaysia. In 2013, a total of 19.1 million tourists from ASEAN countries visited Malaysia, constituting 74.3% of the country’s total arrivals.

For the first seven months of 2014, Malaysia has already received 11.9 million tourists from ASEAN countries, signifying an increase of 10.8% against the same period last year.

For further information on the ASEAN Explore Quest Malaysia 2014, kindly contact Abdul Rauf Abu Hassan, the Deputy Director of International Promotion (Southeast Asia) of Tourism Malaysia, at 603-8891 8252 or via email at abdulrauf@tourism.gov.my

ENDS

For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia’s tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia’s website at http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/

MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD OR TOURISM MALAYSIA is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia at all levels. Since its inception, Tourism Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds and it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2013, Malaysia registered 25.7 million tourist arrivals and RM65.4 billion in receipts, making tourism its second largest foreign exchange earner and the sixth highest contributor to its Gross National Income (GNI).

Malaysia is celebrating its fourth VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR (VMY) in 2014 with the theme “Celebrating 1Malaysia Truly Asia”. The promotion of the country continues with the MALAYSIA YEAR OF FESTIVALS (MyFEST) campaign in 2015 with the theme “Endless Celebrations” emphasising the various festivals celebrated by its multicultural society. Both campaigns are key drivers towards achieving the country’s target of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020, as outlined in the Tourism NKEA (National Key Economic Area).    

Through the Tourism NKEA, collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, other Government agencies and the private sector have been enhanced to help secure Malaysia’s position as a leading tourist destination. The targets set under the Tourism NKEA will be achieved through the implementation of twelve Entry Point Projects (EPPs) clustered under five themes: Affordable Luxury; Nature Adventure; Family Fun; Events, Entertainment, Spa and Sports; and Business Tourism.  

Press contact:
Media & Publicity Unit:
Azizah Aziz (Ms), Senior Deputy Director, Communications & Publicity Division
Tel: +603-8891 8752
Email: azizahaziz@tourism.gov.my

Editorial Unit:
Anis Rozalina Ramli (Ms), Senior Editor, Communications & Publicity Division
Tel: +603-8891 8759
Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my