A Message from Panorama Destination Malaysia:
Greetings from Kuala Lumpur!
We’re currently hosting a number of large and small groups, introducing travellers from around the world (Vietnam, Poland and Cyprus, among others) to the wonders of Malaysia. There’s plenty of cause for celebration in the month ahead, with some important dates to circle in the calendar. First and foremost, the official birthday of our King will be on Monday, 3 June 2024, which will be a public holiday.
During the weekend that precedes this important occasion, East Malaysia will also celebrate ‘Gawai Dayak’ – a festival timed to coincide with the end of the rice harvesting season that is also one of Sarawak’s biggest and most important traditions; it celebrates Borneo’s various Indigenous ethnic groups, including the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu communities. Both a religious and social festival, Gawai Dayak takes place every year from 1-2 June.
For athletes and sport lovers, 8-9 June will mark the 19th edition of Powerman Malaysia – the world’s biggest run-bike duathlon – which will be held at Dataran Putrajaya. Then, locals and visitors alike can look forward to Eid-Ul-Adha, the Muslim Thanksgiving celebrations, scheduled to take place on 17 June. Finally, this fun-filled month of celebrations will come to a close with the annual Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, held from 28-30 June.
At Panorama Destination, we also have a few important dates coming up, not least our Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGMS), to be held at the company’s HQ in Jakarta in mid-June. We’re certainly looking forward to catching up with our colleagues from across Indonesia and Thailand, to hear their most recent news and explore some of their latest offerings from each location.
For us, Sarawak is top of mind this June, and we have a range of great new products that showcase the many delights on offer in this unforgettable region. There’s our Nature of Sarawak package, which combines skeletons, bats and spiders in the depths of the Niah Caves; and a range of other attractions, including Bung Jagoi – an old village considered the ancestral home of the Dayak Bidayuh for over 175 years – and the virgin rainforest that continues to beckon nature lovers from all over the world to Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
If your clients are thinking about booking Malaysia for their summer holidays, there’s still plenty of time – whatever their interest and budget, we can tailor travel experiences and itineraries to fit their needs. Malaysia is the perfect place to combine nature with culture, and with a little retail therapy thrown in too! Get in touch, and together let’s “cuti-cuti Malaysia!”
Natasha Jimin
Country Manager, Panorama Destination Malaysia.
Destination digest: Malaysia news in brief
A selection of bitesize news stories currently making the headlines in Malaysia:
Thailand and Malaysia team up for ASEAN Drive Tourism project
The Thai government will collaborate with Malaysia to stimulate tourism for both countries through the Asean Drive Tourism Project. (In order to) “boost Thailand’s tourism, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is accelerating the ‘Asean Drive Tourism Project’, with a pilot route between Thailand and Malaysia. Both sides have held discussions on creating a ‘self-drive’ tourism route, which will be presented in the form of graphic maps,” Thai government spokesperson Chai Wacharong said in a statement today (17/5).
(source: The Star)
Tourism Malaysia joins PATA Summit 2024
Tourism Malaysia joins the vibrant gathering of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) during the Reimagining Tourism-themed summit from 15-17 May 2024. This annual congregation convenes PATA members from over 30 destinations to explore emerging trends, sustainable tourism practices, human capital development and the evolving landscape of air travel and hospitality.
(source: Travel and Tour World)
Johor has great potential as a major tourist destination
Johor has many tourist centres with huge potential which the state can be proud of, says Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, Chief Minister for Johor. “Johor actually has various treasures and tourist centres with good potential and can be proud of,” he said during the state assembly meeting at Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar on Wednesday (15/5). Onn Hafiz noted Johor has six national parks, theme parks, museums and galleries, many ecotourism sites and international, as well as world-class islands.
(source: The Star)
Tourism Malaysia launches roadmap for Visit Malaysia 2026
Tourism Malaysia had a prominent start on 30 April 2024 by organising a networking session with the industry players by presenting its strategic direction and action plans focussing on promoting Malaysia internationally and domestically. This direction and action plans were crafted during the engagement session with industry players to ensure the fast conversion and high-impact programme and achieve the common goal of attracting 35.6 million tourists and generating RM147.1 billion in receipts for Visit Malaysia 2026.
(source: TDN Asia & Pacific)
To get all the latest developments and breaking news coming out of Malaysia in the weeks ahead, simply follow Panorama Destination on our social media channels:
