BERNAMA – The Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and the Malaysian Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance the availability of Muslim-friendly accommodation across the country.
In a statement, MyBHA said this initiative is a significant step towards strengthening the Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality sector in Malaysia.
According to the association, the MoU outlines ITC’s commitment to providing comprehensive training on ‘Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality’ or MFTH to registered members.
“This initiative aims to guide MyBHA members in obtaining the MFTH assurance and recognition from ITC.
“This recognition will affirm their commitment to meeting the unique needs of Muslim tourists, thereby fostering a more inclusive and welcoming tourism environment in Malaysia,” it said.
Meanwhile, ITC Director- General Nizran Noordin said the collaboration is a crucial step in maintaining Malaysia’s position as a leading Muslim-friendly tourism destination.
By equipping MyBHA members with the knowledge and skills through MFTH training, he hopes to ensure that Muslim tourists feel comfortable throughout their stay in Malaysia.
MyBHA National President Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel said the association is committed to enhancing the quality and inclusivity of accommodation services in Malaysia.
“This MoU not only provides our members with the opportunity to elevate their standards and remain relevant in the market but also aligns with our goal of promoting Malaysia as a destination of choice for Muslim tourists,” he said.
TRAVELLERS’ CHOICE
Meanwhile, the Sunway Lost World of Tambun in Perak has been listed on TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best 2024, in the amusement and water park category.
The theme park was ranked 17th out of 25 amusement and water parks worldwide, on the world’s largest tourism platform.
Sunway Lagoon announced the award in a statement, stating that the listing highlighted Sunway Lost World of Tambun’s commitment to providing excellent service, exciting attractions and unforgettable experiences for visitors. It also consolidated the theme park’s reputation as a major tourist destination in Malaysia and Asia.
“Sunway Lost World of Tambun is proud to announce that our theme park has been listed as one of the best amusement and water parks in the world. This places Sunway Lost World of Tambun among the top three best theme parks in Asia on the global scale,” the company said.
THE SABAH OPTION
The Sabah tourism sector is enjoying brisk business in terms of revenue, due to a rapid increase in the number of tourist arrivals over the first four months of the year.
Sabah welcomed one million tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2024, and saw revenue generated from tourists’ spending reaching MYR2.23 billion.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said based on statistics from the Sabah Tourism Board, the arrivals comprised 396,584 international tourists and 607,371 domestic tourists.
“The state government is committed to promoting various inclusive tourism initiatives and programmes in efforts to make Sabah the most attractive tourist destination in Malaysia for both domestic and international visitors and increase the number of tourism products.
“The introduction of new attractions for tourists will assist in achieving the three million tourist arrivals to Sabah this year,” he said during an event in Tawau recently.
Hajiji said that in Tawau, the state government was implementing proposed tourism projects through Sabah’s Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry like the development of a new resort in Tawau Hills Park. The resort is set to include chalets, walking path, hot water pools and a Pangolin Research Centre.
He added that the government, through the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, will also upgrade the Tawau jetty to bring in tourists from Semporna.
“Tawau serves as a gateway to the Tun Sakaran Marine Park which is popular in Semporna, registering 25,684 visitors from January to April.
“Currently there are 115 weekly flights with a capacity of 20,200 seats servicing the Tawau-Kuala Lumpur, Tawau-Johor Baru, Tawau-Kota Kinabalu and Tawau-Sandakan routes. On June 15, 32 special chartered flights had arrived from Nanjing and Guangzhou (China) to Tawau,” he said.
