KUALA LUMPUR, 15 May 2016 – Tourism Malaysia welcomed a total of 73 bikers riding through Malaysia on 55 Harley Davidson motorcycles in the “Freedom Thru Weekend 2016 Ride to Malaysia” event from 13 to 15 May. The ride is a celebration of Hard Rock Café’s 25 Hard Rocking Years in Southeast Asia. The convoy of the iconic big bike brand started in Singapore, entering Melaka and Kuala Lumpur before returning south to the Lion City.

Datuk Seri Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, said, “Tourism Malaysia is pleased to welcome the Harley Davidson bikers as it is an opportunity for us to promote Malaysia as the perfect motorcycle holiday destination among fans of big bikes.”

Tourism Malaysia provided a welcome reception upon their arrival in Melaka on 14 May and cultural show for the Harley Davidson riders as well as arrangements to ride Kuala Lumpur’s Hop On-Hop Off bus to take in the city attractions on 15 May.

Participants of Freedom Thru Weekend 2016 shared photos and stories of their journey through Malaysia on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #HDSFTW16 and #HarleySG.

Motorcycle holidays in Malaysia is a niche attraction being promoted by Tourism Malaysia in recent years to draw a unique group of tourists who appreciate and enjoy high-value special interests in their lives.

Datuk Seri Mirza added, “Malaysia is a great place for motorcycle holidays. We not only have well-connected highways, but also scenic countryside, historic places, lots of delicious food and beautiful culture for everyone to enjoy.”

Promotional efforts for this niche tourism attraction include yearly participation in Phuket Bike Week as well as collaborations with motorcycle associations and travel agents to develop and promote motorcycle tour packages.

The motorcycle holiday packages are also complemented by promotions of motorcycle sporting events in Malaysia such as Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix and World Superbike World Championship.

Recently, Tourism Malaysia also produced a television commercial to showcase Malaysia as an exciting destination for motorcycle holidays.

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 2015, Malaysia registered 25.7 million tourist arrivals and RM69.1 billion in receipts.

Through the Tourism NKEA (National Key Economic Area), 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 and achieve the country’s target of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020.

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:

Shukri Hanafiah, Senior Deputy Director, Corporate Communication Division
Tel: +603-8891 8767
Email: shukrihanafiah@tourism.gov.my

Editorial Unit:

Tel: +603-8891 8759
Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my