Tourism Malaysia Launches ‘Crafting Holidays’ to Elevate Domestic Travel

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

For the first time, Tourism Malaysia is joining forces with Malaysian Crafts and several other agencies under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) to revolutionize domestic tourism by integrating local crafts, arts, culture, and heritage into its promotional activities.

Under the banner “Crafting Holidays,” the 2024 Malaysian Holidays Carnival (KCCM) is set to transform the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex from October 25-27, 2024. This event is not just a showcase offering over 200 travel packages with discounts up to 50% but also features a rich array of heritage craft demonstrations and culinary offerings.

Additionally, the newly introduced Craft Complex Package provides group guided tours and hands-on craft experiences at four major craft complexes: Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Johor, and Melaka. Each complex boasts unique attractions such as the Craft Sales Center, Heritage Craft Museum and Gallery, Craft Village, Painter’s Village, Craft Ethno Park, and the Kelulut Honey Park. Visitors can engage in interactive activities like rattan weaving, batik, ceramics, copper tooling, and kompang drum making.

To assist tourists in planning their visits and purchasing craft items state-by-state, the Craft On The Go (COTG) application is available. This app provides information on entrepreneur profiles, product details, sales center locations, and social media links.

YB Tuan Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture said that, since 1999, Tourism Malaysia has been promoting the branding of the Malaysia Holidays campaign which aims to invite Malaysians to take holidays within the country in a planned manner by taking advantage of special package offers promoted during organization of tourism sales fairs.

He said, the organization of KCCM 2024, which offers a unique experience in craft, art, culture and local heritage activities, is expected to boost domestic tourism (interstate and intrastate) and thus stimulate domestic visitor visits as well as an increase in tourist arrivals ahead of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

In 2024, the ministry aims to attract 221 million domestic visitors, anticipating a domestic expenditure of RM92.7 billion. From January to June 2024, domestic tourism has seen a positive trend, with 127 million domestic tourists generating RM52.2 billion in revenue.

“This number is targeted to continue to increase to 241 million visitors in 2025 and further to 261 million people in 2026 with expected domestic tourism expenditure reaching RM115.2 billion,” he said.

The carnival also offers a variety of tourism packages, including adventure and heritage tours, water sports, scuba diving, birding, stargazing, and more. These are complemented by accommodations, nature excursions, theme parks, and cultural experiences.

A highlight of the event is the traditional Malay village-themed Pasar Saloma, featuring over 30 stalls that offer an assortment of traditional dishes, pastries, and craft items. Visitors can also enjoy live artist performances, cultural dances, flying roti canai displays, teh tarik demonstrations, and participate in lucky draws.

KCCM 2024 is organized in collaboration with the Department of National Heritage, the Department of Culture and Arts, Istana Budaya, the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), the National Visual Arts Development Board, and Hotel Seri Malaysia, with support from media and tourism partners like ASTRO, Star Media Group, Zoomer Media, Prowangsa, Advance Sign Indicator (ASI), and KL Hop-On-Hop-Off (HOHO).

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Tags: domestic tourism, Kuala Lumpur Events, Malaysia tourism, Malaysian Crafts, Tourism news