KUALA LUMPUR, 17 June 2015 – Tourism Malaysia has launched a new domestic travel campaign called ‘Cuti-Cuti 1 Malaysia Dekat Je’ to encourage more Malaysians to travel to nearby places in the country for their next weekend getaway.

The unmistakably Malaysian use of colloquial phrase ‘dekat je’, which loosely translates as ‘nearby only’ / ‘so close’ / ‘so near’, aims to remind Malaysians that the next exciting holiday destination is actually just right on their doorstep, and that travelling helps foster closer relationships with families and friends.

Choices for the next local holiday are endless and meet all types of budgets. It can be a simple staycation in the city, a quick getaway at the next town, a gastronomic journey across several states, or living it up in lush rainforest resorts.

The campaign was launched today by the newly-appointed Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, Mr. Wee Choo Keong at Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Also attending the event was Director General of Tourism Malaysia Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab.

“When we think of travelling, it is usually just to ‘balik kampung’ during the festive season or school holiday. This campaign aims to remind Malaysians that there are many places they can travel to over the weekend, without having to take extra time off work,” said Wee.

“Travelling locally whether by car, airplane, or train is cost and time effective, more fun, and help foster better relationships, whether it’s family bonding at the waterfalls in Negeri Sembilan, newlyweds on honeymoon up in the highlands of Pahang, or a group of friends looking for adventure during a road trip to the outskirts of Selangor,” the Chairman of Tourism Malaysia continued.

During the press launch, Mr. Wee ‘rode across Malaysia’ from KLCC to Langkawi, passing through iconic tourist attractions in Melaka and Penang, which symbolises how one can enjoy breathtaking sceneries, magnificent architectures and amazing flora and fauna that are literally in their backyard.

Malaysian hip hop legend Altimet, along with the masters of percussion the Diplomats of Drum, were also at the press launch to entertain the guests.

“In today’s busy and ever-evolving lifestyle, time is very precious, hence spending quality time with family is crucial. Every weekend can be an adventure, so make the most of it and have fun – a lot of beautiful attractions and delicious food are just ‘dekat je’. Malaysia is blessed with beautiful natural resources, state-of-the-art family attractions and a myriad of delectable food thanks to our multicultural society,” said Wee.

As social media plays an integral role in today’s society, the popular ‘wefie’ forms part of the domestic tourism campaign. It encourages travellers to take wefies, and post it on their social media platforms with a hashtag of the location to promote their trip, be it against a stunning scenery, iconic monument, or while enjoying scrumptious local delights.

With the next trip or gastro affair ‘dekat je’, lots of photos and wefies are expected to take over virtual spaces, thus promoting and increasing domestic tourism, whilst creating a lasting and memorable holiday.

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 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 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:
Corporate Communications & Media Relations 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