Sunday November 8, 2009

Quaint old charm

EUROFILE
By CHOI TUCK WO

The traditional Malacca House is Tourism Malaysia’s centrepiece at the world’s biggest tourism showcase in east London this week.

THE latest rise in air passenger duty is set to be one of the hottest issues to be debated at the World Travel Market which opens in London tomorrow.

While the blow clearly hurt, it was the reaction that truly rankled.

And it could not have come at a worse time for the UK outbound travel industry that’s still reeling from the effects of the economic recession.

The recent survey that more than half of British holidaymakers will slash their overseas holidays due to the higher taxes makes for deeply unsettling reading.

Despite this, visitors will be enthralled by all the razzmatazz of the planet’s biggest tourism showcase during the four-day mega event at ExCel London in east London.

There’s even a 30th anniversary bash, complete with West End’s spectacular musicals, to trumpet the exhibition’s success over the past three decades.

So, you’ll probably see smart-suited travel professionals dancing or tapping their feet to the smash hits of Chicago, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Jersey Boys and Mamma Mia!

This year’s event seems headed for another record-breaking turnout; it attracted nearly 50,000 trade visitors and exhibitors from more than 200 countries in 2008.

But it’s too early to pop the champagne corks yet. With the higher taxes starting last Sunday, it appears that flying is getting cheaper but taxes are rising way above inflation.

For instance, those travelling from London to Malaysia and others in Band D (more than 9,600km) will see their tax jumping up to £110 (RM616) now and soaring to £170 (RM952) in November next year – more than double the current rates.

Hence, it’s easy to understand why potential holidaymakers could be put off travelling abroad under the four-band new air tax structure.

Heritage draw: Part of the crowd at the Tourism Malaysia pavilion last year. — Picture courtesy of Tourism Malaysia

Rich heritage

Yet amid the shop talk and number crunching, one is inevitably drawn to a cluster of quaint-looking wooden structures standing alongside an impressive array of futuristic-looking pavilions.

Well, it’s a little slice of Malacca, which is renowned for its Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese) and Portuguese cultures.

Visitors will get a chance to see the traditional Malacca House with its distinctive two-layer roof design, the centrepiece of Tourism Malaysia’s pavilion this year.

Inspired by the state’s popular wooden house, the unique structure comprises the ibu rumah (main living room) and serambi (balcony).

Decorative items like tudung saji (traditional covers), pasu (pot), songket, batik, mengkuang (screwpine leaves) handicrafts and tempayan (earthern urns) adorn the house, offering visitors a glimpse of the nation’s rich heritage.

The pavilion occupies nearly 600 sq metres and its design is a brainchild of Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

About 50 organisations, including five states – Penang, Selangor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) – as well as Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia are taking part in the exhibition.

Last year, about 7,200 trade visitors were recorded at the Malaysian stand as compared with some 5,000 in 2007.

Strong neighbourliness

Tourism Malaysia director (UK & Ireland) Abdul Rauf Abu Hassan said the pavilion’s concept was aimed at promoting the country’s rich historical and cultural heritage.

He said this year’s theme focused on the heritage aspect while last year’s booth was based on the Sarawak longhouse and Borneo rainforest.

The minister will also launch the Manchester and Birmingham Bus campaign at the exhibition tomorrow to attract British and European tourists to Malaysia.

About 50 buses with promotional banners displaying Malaysia Airlines’ special fares will be involved in the campaign that will run until Dec 31.

“We’ll use two images of sunny beaches and the orang utan to attract visitors to Malaysia, especially during the winter holidays and the first and second quarters of next year,” he said.

Qube Integrated Malaysia Sdn Bhd general manager (EIS Dept) Lisa Lum said the mother booth surrounded by its clusters reflected the message of unity through strong neighbourliness.

“We’re one country filled with colours, richness and warmth,” she said of the 1Malaysia national unity concept.

Lum, who is the pavilion’s official contractor, said Malacca’s Unesco World Heritage City status also played a major role in the theme.

“The status is an acknowledgement given and a pride for Malaysia that can help encourage more foreign tourists to visit the country,” she added.

Sixteen workers took about a week to assemble the prefabricated units in Malaysia before shipping them to London where they are set up at the exhibition venue.

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