Hello Readers!

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2016! I hope you are ready for an exciting and enjoyable year.

Sports like cycling, sailing, golf, and extreme challenge feature prominently in the first month of this year to get your energy going. But for those who prefer a bit more culture, don’t miss the colour and festivities of Thaipusam at Batu Caves temple where you can get up close and personal with the ritual and traditions of the Hindu devotees in Malaysia.

Feast your eyes on ASEAN’s biggest light show at the UNITY.ASEAN Lantern and Music Show which showcases giant lanterns from various countries.

Another theme park awaits thrill seekers in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The Austin Heights Water and Adventure Park in Johor Bahru opened its doors to the public last December to offer more fun-filled holidays to visitors of all ages.

For more information, visit our new consumer website at malaysia.travel.my and our corporate website at tourismmalaysia.gov.my.

Happy New Year everyone!

Azizah Aziz
Director of Corporate Communication
Tourism Malaysia

14th Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR) 2016

The 14th edition of Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR) 2016 will take place from 11 to 16 January, and is organised by the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club (RLYC). The annual event attracts sailors from the world over, to compete for the coveted Prime Minister's Challenge Trophy. More than 50 sail boats will take part in the challenge that combines both harbour and open-sea courses, including a day of round-island races.

Date: 11 to 16 January 2016
Venue: Langkawi Island
Organiser: Royal Langkawi Yacht Club

Website:www.langkawiregatta.com
Contact: 04-966 4078

#tanahairku - Two Decades of Bringing Malaysians Together

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a Malaysian, to grow up in a nation rich with culture and traditions, to go to school and live on a street with friends and neighbours of such diverse beliefs? Well, just drop by at Galeri PETRONAS in Suria KLCC, one of Malaysia’s leading shopping malls, and see for yourself. The art gallery is organising a special exhibition called #tanahairku which brings together the television commercials, print advertisements and web films from the past two decades that capture perfectly the stories, the pictures, the experiences and the feelings of what it’s like to be a Malaysian. Some of these tales are funny and romantic, while others will bring tears to your eyes.

Admission is free from 10 am to 8 pm, so bring your whole family!

Date: 11 December 2015 to 07 February 2016
Venue: Galeri PETRONAS, Suria KLCC
Time: 10.00 am to 8.00 pm
Organiser: PETRONAS

Facebook: fb.com/GALERIPETRONAS
Contact: 03-2051 7770

Thaipusam 2016

Thaipusam has been celebrated in Batu Caves since 1891, making this year the 125th anniversary of Thaipusam. Each year, the celebration brings together hundreds of devotees to this holy temple and tourists throng the area to experience the colour and vibe of this fascinating festival.

Thaipusam celebrates the victory of Lord Muruga over the Surapadman devil. It is also a thanksgiving festival dedicated to Lord Muruga for answering prayers. Lord Muruga is seen as the granter of favours and if a wish is granted, devotees are required to repay Him through offerings such as kavadis. Devotees prepare themselves for Thaipusam spiritually by fasting and praying before performing acts of penance or thanksgiving like carrying kavadis and paal kudam (pots filled with milk) up the 272 steps of the stairs leading to the temple to make or fulfil their vows. Some even pierce their bodies with sharp metal objects as a sign of devotion.

Date: 24 January 2016
Venue: Batu Caves Sri Subramaniam Temple, Selayang, Selangor
Opening hours: 6am to 9pm
Organiser:Batu Caves Hindu Association

Contact: 03-6189 6284 / 03-6089 6284
Email:batu_caves@malaysia.com

Welcome to ASEAN’s Biggest Light Show

Asean’s biggest light show will shine the night a little brighter as 1 million lightbulbs blaze to life in a grand light show! The UNITY.ASEAN Lantern & Music Show is a showcase of giant lanterns, some over 5 storeys tall, from Malaysia, China, South Korea, Japan and all the countries of ASEAN.

Visitors can also expect a treat for all the five senses with a music festival, a food fiesta with a wide spread of regional delicacies, musical fountains, cultural performances, and our special ASEAN Week and the ASEAN Products Fest on festival grounds!

The UNITY.ASEAN Lantern & Music Show promises non-stop fun for the whole family. Get ready for 2015’s brightest, most colourful nights ever!

Duration: Throughout 2016
Time: 7.30 pm to 12 am
Venue: MINES Wellness City
Seri Kembangan, Selangor
Contact: 03-8959 8879

Email: info@unityasean.com

Tickets: Adults RM45, Children 3-12 years old, senior citizens (60 years and above) and OKU (persons with disabilities) RM25, Families (2 adults and 2 children) RM120

EurAsia Cup 2016

Don’t miss this golf competition that pits Team Asia and Team Europe on an equally challenging golf course, the Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Selangor. Watch your favourite golfers from Asia, led by team captain Jeev Milka Singh, go against Team Europe’s players led by Darren Clarke. Both captains have impressive golf experience, backed up by strong talents in their stable. EurAsia Cup 2016 has all the makings of a fierce and unforgettable battle on the green! So come and support your favourite teams or players at GG&CC Shah Alam to enliven the Eurasia Cup 2016.

Date: 15 to 17 January 2016
Venue:Glenmarie Golf & Country Club Shah Alam, Selangor.
Organiser: DRB HICOM

Website: www.eurasiacup.com
Contact: 03-7803 9090

Ruhiang-Kiulu Adventure Challenge 2016

Sabah is known for its call to adventure, thanks to its myriad of landscapes from ocean deep to mountain high! At the Ruhiang-Kiulu Adventure Challenge 2016, participants choose the level of difficulty they are prepared to face – either a 10 km run, a 21 km run or a 25 km bike ride. All routes will take in the scenery of the tough but beautiful terrain of Kiulu-Tamparuli, crossing rivers, climbing hills, through bamboo forests and tall grasses, and even a “freefall” downhill race around the curves of Tamparuli in the cycling event!

Cheer on the brave participants as they manoeuvre the highs and lows of this race, and later, relax and enjoy the beauty of Sabah.

Date: 24 January 2016
Time: 6.30 am
Venue: Tamparuli Tamu Ground, Sabah, Malaysia
Organiser: Casero Events & Tamparuli Sub-District Office

Website: rukiac.caserosabah.com
Contact: 019-5326399

Warrior Trail Malaysia 2016

Part trail run, part mud run, full-on obstacle course. In other words, it’s just an excuse for a bunch of adults to pretend to be kids again and play in the mud and get dirty!

No doubt, the trail route is tough, made up of more than 25 man-made structures and numerous natural obstacles. You can expect to run along quality, hard packed trails, cross streams and lakes and even negotiate a 500 m jungle river section.

The military-style obstacles are set over 10 km of rough terrain at Semenyih Ecoventure Resort, and will be a test of your physical fitness and mental toughness. While elite runners can race for the glory of winning, for the majority of weekend warriors, just completing the course will be reward enough.

Date: 30 to 31 January 2016
Venue: Semenyih Ecoventure Resort, Selangor
Organiser: iH Events

Website: warriortrail.my
Contact: 019-303 36854

Austin Heights Water & Adventure Park

Malaysia has yet another theme park, the Austin Heights Water and Adventure Park, in Johor, just 20 minutes from the city centre, Johor Bahru.

Visitors can enjoy activities and facilities such as a wave pool, drift kart, rock-climbing, trampolines, ice-skating, ropes course, zip lines, golf, bowling, tennis and water slides. One of the most thrilling rides as this park is the “Yellow Wall” which is said to be the longest in Malaysia – slide up and down this wall in your tube rings before plunging down the slides in an exciting and adrenaline-pumping experience.

Operating Hours: 10 am to 7 pm
Location: Taman Mount Austin, Austin Heights, Johor Bahru, Johor

Contact: +6019-712 3183 / +6019-716 3183
Email: ask@funtime.my
Website: www.funtime.my

All information is correct at time of publication.

Visitors are advised to contact the event organiser for the latest updates.

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 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 2014, Malaysia registered 27.4 million tourist arrivals and RM72 billion in receipts, making tourism its second largest foreign exchange earner.

Malaysia celebrated its fourth VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR (VMY) in 2014 with the theme “Celebrating 1Malaysia Truly Asia”. The promotion of the country continued 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 Relations Unit:

Chresentia F.B. Sadatal (Ms), Assistant Director, Corporate Communication Division

Tel: +603-8891 8776

Email: chresentia@tourism.gov.my

Editorial Unit:

Anis Rozalina Ramli (Ms), Senior Editor, Corporate Communication Division

Tel: +603-8891 8759

Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my

For more information on Malaysia please contact Tourism Malaysia Overseas Offices or Tourist Information Centres (TIC) at your respective states, countries or region.