PHL tourism fair to entice 2.5M Malaysian mall visitors

The Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur said Tuesday that the first Philippine Tourism Fair in Malaysia will be held from July 20 to 22 at the Main Concourse Area of the Berjaya Times Square (BTS) in Kuala Lumpur. 

 

Organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism and the BTS, the joint promotional event aims to promote the Philippines as a holiday destination to the numerous patrons who visit the BTS shopping center.

 

Prospects for interaction with the Malaysian shopping community are excellent as the twin-towered, 7.7 million square foot BTS receives 2.5 million visitors monthly.

 

The DOT’s 235-square meter exhibition area will showcase the different Philippine tourism destinations.  Special promotional Philippine tour packages will also be made available to potential Malaysian tourists through the Consortium of Malaysian travel agents selling Philippine tours.

 

Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya is expected to open the event. He will be joined by DOT Representative in Malaysia Melissa Ong and other Embassy and DOT officials.

 

“The Philippines and Malaysia have been experiencing a renaissance in its bilateral relations, with increasing trade, investment and tourism happening between our two countries,” said Malaya.

 

He noted that new air routes have been opening between the Philippines and Malaysia, creating more tourism opportunities between the two countries.

  

Last June 21, AirPhilExpress commenced flights between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 to the Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). Flights are scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

 

AirAsia Philippines also started daily flights between the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Airport, Pampanga to the LCCT. This new route compliments the Philippine Airline’s Manila-Kuala Lumpur route, which flies twice a day.

 

Two other airlines ply the Philippines-Malaysia route: Cebu Pacific Air, which flies twice a day from Manila to Kuala Lumpur and also Manila to Kota Kinabalu once a day; and Malaysia Airlines, which flies to Manila to Kuala Lumpur twice a day.

 

In 2011, DOT numbers revealed that 91,752 Malaysian tourists visited the Philippines, while Tourism Malaysia said that 362,101 Filipino tourists visited Malaysia. — DVM, GMA News