PUTRAJAYA, 23 May 2015 – Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysian Youth Hostels Association (MYHA) are joining hands once again to organise the Youth Tourism Carnival 2015 for the fifth time from 22-24 May, in conjunction with the Putrajaya Youth Festival 2015, to inculcate a culture of well-planned travel within the country amongst the local youth.

The carnival was officiated by the Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab at Precinct 4 here earlier today. Also in attendance were the Director General of National Youth and Sports Department Hajah Hatipah Ibrahim, the President of MYHA, Khairul Annuar Mansor, the President of Malaysian Youth Council Mua’amar Ghadafi Jamal, and the Director of Domestic Marketing Division of Tourism Malaysia Datuk Musa Hj. Yusof.

In his speech, Dato’ Mirza mentioned that programmes such as these were instrumental in exposing the youth to the latest tourism products and destinations within the country.

He said, “We also hope that this carnival will help inculcate a “think tourism” mindset among the youth, so that they have a deeper understanding on the importance of tourism to the country’s economy.

“This carnival is an excellent platform to address today’s youth, with its creative marketing and attractive exhibitions and tourism packages on sale which are tailored for the youth market,” he continued.

According to Dato’ Mirza, the total sales value of packages sold during the Youth Tourism Carnival 2014 increased by 48% to RM241,094 compared to RM162,399 in 2013, while the total number of packages sold increased by 18% to 960 packages in 2014 compared to 811 packages in 2013.

In conjunction with the Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFest) 2015, the Youth Tourism Carnival is participated by eight agencies under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, which are Istana Budaya, National Department for Culture and Arts, Department of National Heritage, National Archives, National Visual Arts Gallery, National Library Malaysia, the National Arts, Culture and Heritage Academy (Aswara) and Kraftangan Malaysia.

Aside from the sale of tourism packages and exhibitions by the agencies involved, there will also be a session with the Malaysian Astronaut, tourism quizzes, as well as performances such as dances and street music sessions.

President of MYHA Khairul Annuar says that teenagers today are more open-minded and are more interested in productive group activities, such as volunteering in efforts to develop the country, nation, and urban and suburban communities.

“From youth to youth” is once again the slogan for this year’s Putrajaya Youth Festival. This three-day programme is organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, and will be officiated by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Yang Amat Berhormat Tan Sri Haji Muhyiddin Yassin.

For more information on the Youth Tourism Carnival 2015, please contact:-

Tourism Malaysia
Encik Mohd Badrul Amin Mohd Bisharuddin
Assistant Director, Domestic Marketing Division
E-mail: mohdbadrulamin@tourism.gov.my

Malaysian Youth Hostels Association:
Encik Mohd Faiz Bin Mohd Zin
Malaysian Youth Hostels Association
E-mail: faizholiday@gmail.com

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