The world meets Malaysia in Melaka
THE world will soon turn its gaze to Melaka. In September, this historic city will host World Tourism Day (WTD) and World Tourism Conference (WTC).
Malaysia will welcome more than 3,000 delegates from 159 countries, including tourism leaders, policymakers and industry experts.
These events represent more than symbolic recognition.
They represent Malaysia's stage rehearsal for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), a defining opportunity to showcase the nation's tourism readiness, innovation and world-class hospitality.
These aspirations reflect a commitment to revitalising tourism for economic recovery.
However, the nation must mobilise efforts from federal leadership to the grassroots to achieve these goals.
The theme of WTD, "Tourism and Sustainable Transformation", could not be more timely.
It gives Malaysia a platform to highlight its strengths, such as, cultural heritage, ecotourism, Muslim-friendly tourism, digital infrastructure and smart destination planning.
Yet even with national frameworks in place, the real transformation must occur where experiences are delivered at the state and community levels.
This achievement reflects Melaka's effective coordination, infrastructure enhancements and branding strategies.
Melaka, aligned with the national agenda, has emerged as a beacon of tourism excellence through creative promotional programmes, digital innovation and outstanding service.
The success of Visit Melaka Year 2024 is demonstrated by the state recording more than 15 million tourist arrivals, which contributed RM12.68 billion to tourism revenue.
The Visit Melaka initiative will extend to 2026.
The appointment of Chinese actress Fan Bingbing as Melaka's tourism ambassador has elevated the state's image in the Chinese tourism market.
It generated more than 1.5 billion digital impressions on WeChat, positioning Melaka at the spotlight of Asia's tourism market.
Melaka's preparations for WTD and WTC include a tourism package, digital navigation upgrades, enhancing historical precincts and installing five-star public restrooms in tourist areas.
These efforts boost visitor confidence, satisfaction and brand loyalty to the state and the country.
Other states would do well to observe and emulate Melaka's approach to VM2026, especially in building niche tourism appeal, whether in food tourism, ecotourism or heritage preservation.
At the same time, the tourism industry must focus on quality growth while delivering immersive, high-value travel experiences.
Hoteliers, F&B businesses, tour operators and transport providers must raise their service standards, from cleanliness and punctuality to digital integration and multilingual service.
* NORENA JAAFAR
AKMAL ADANAN Senior lecturer
Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, UiTM Melaka
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
How Trump's trade war is upending the global economy
U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff decisions since he took office on January 20 have shocked financial markets and sent a wave of uncertainty through the global economy. Here is a timeline of the major developments: February 1 - Trump imposes 25% tariffs on Mexican and most Canadian imports and 10% on goods from China, demanding they curb the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants into the United States. February 3 - Trump suspends his threat of tariffs on Mexico and Canada, agreeing to a 30-day pause in return for concessions on border and crime enforcement. The U.S. does not reach such a deal with China. February 7 - Trump delays tariffs on de minimis, or low-cost, packages from China until the Commerce Department can confirm that procedures and systems are in place to process them and collect tariff revenue. February 10 - Trump raises tariffs on steel and aluminum to a flat 25% 'without exceptions or exemptions'. March 3 - Trump says 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada will take effect from March 4 and doubles fentanyl-related tariffs on all Chinese imports to 20%. March 5 - The president agrees to delay tariffs for one month on some vehicles built in Canada and Mexico after a call with the CEOs of General Motors and Ford and the chair of Stellantis. March 6 - Trump exempts goods from Canada and Mexico under a North American trade pact for a month from the 25% tariffs. March 26 - Trump unveils a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks. April 2 - Trump announces global tariffs with a baseline of 10% across all imports and significantly higher duties on some of the U.S.' biggest trading partners. April 9 - Trump pauses for 90 days most of his country-specific tariffs that kicked in less than 24 hours earlier following an upheaval in financial markets that erased trillions of dollars from bourses around the world. The 10% blanket duty on almost all U.S. imports stays in place. Trump says he will raise the tariff on Chinese imports to 125% from the 104% level that took effect a day earlier. This pushes the extra duties on Chinese goods to 145%, including the fentanyl-related tariffs imposed earlier. April 13 - The U.S. administration grants exclusions from steep tariffs on smartphones, computers and some other electronics imported largely from China. April 22 - The Trump administration launches national security probes under Section 232 of the Trade Act of 1962 into imports of both pharmaceuticals and semiconductors as part of a bid to impose tariffs on both sectors. May 4 - Trump imposes a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the U.S. May 9 - Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce a limited bilateral trade agreement that leaves in place 10% tariffs on British exports, modestly expands agricultural access for both countries and lowers prohibitive U.S. duties on British car exports. May 12 - The U.S. and China agree to temporarily slash reciprocal tariffs. Under the 90-day truce, the U.S. will cut the extra tariffs it imposed on Chinese imports to 30% from 145%, while China's duties on U.S. imports will be slashed to 10% from 125%. May 13 - The U.S. cuts the low value 'de minimis' tariff on China shipments, reducing duties for items valued at up to $800 to 54% from 120%. May 23 - Trump says he is recommending a straight 50% tariff on goods from the European Union starting on June 1. He also warned Apple it would face 25% tariff if phones it sold in the U.S. were manufactured outside of the country. May 25 - Trump backpedals on his threat to slap 50% tariffs on imports from the EU, agreeing to extend the deadline for talks between the U.S. and the block until July 9. May 28 - A U.S. trade court blocked Trump's tariffs from going into effect in a sweeping ruling that the president overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trade partners. The Trump administration said it would appeal the ruling. May 29 - A federal appeals court temporarily reinstates the most sweeping of Trump's tariffs, saying it was pausing the lower court's ruling to consider the government's appeal, and ordered the plaintiffs in the cases to respond by June 5 and the administration by June 9. May 30 - At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump says he plans to increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25%.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Chinese listing spree sparks revival hopes in Hong Kong stocks
HONG KONG: A wave of listings by Chinese companies is expected to reinvigorate trading activity in Hong Kong, with optimism growing that a robust pipeline of debuts will drive the broader stock market higher. First-time share sales in Hong Kong have raised HK$77bil this year through May, the most for the period since 2021, buoyed by a blockbuster offering by battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL). The boom looks set to continue as companies that represent China's industrial ambitions and rising technological capabilities – such chipmaker Will Semiconductor Co and luxury carmaker Seres Group Co – prepare to debut on the Hong Kong exchange. While there is yet to be a meaningful pickup in turnover, the listings are a welcome development for a market that had been bogged down in recent years by low liquidity and a dearth of prominent new entrants to attract global capital. The Hang Seng Index remains 25% below its 2021 peak despite a 16% gain this year. 'The fundraising rush will be a boon for liquidity and finally make Hong Kong 'China's Nasdaq,' more so than any of the onshore growth boards, given the quality of the listings,' said Chen Da, founder of Dante Research. The arrival of high-profile Chinese companies, and the trading activity that brings, may revitalise stocks that had fallen into obscurity due to low turnover in the broader market, he said. Hong Kong has long been a gateway for global investors seeking exposure to mainland Chinese companies, which currently make up 70% of the Hang Seng Index's weighting. While this role has also left the city's stocks vulnerable to China-US tensions, strong performance by recent entrants shows investors believe the rewards of owning a slice of China's new-economy stocks outweigh the risks of volatility. Share prices for bubble tea makers Mixue Group and Guming Holdings Ltd, and toy manufacturer Bloks Group Ltd., have more than doubled since their Hong Kong debuts this year. The offerings are 'fundamentally reshaping the DNA of the market, representing a strategic upgrade for the city's market,' said Yang Ruyi, fund manager at Shanghai Prospect Investment Management Co. 'Hong Kong is rebranding from merely a China offshore market into a globally- watched benchmark pricing the new economy.' Tech stocks and those embodying new consumption trends could make up 50% of the weightings of the exchange's constituents in the coming years, she expected. To some market watchers, the burst of activity is evoking memories of the initial public offering (IPO) boom in the early 2000s that laid the groundwork for a near-300% rally in the Hang Seng Index over the four years through 2007. Zeng Wenkai, a fund manager at Shengqi Asset Management, draws parallels to the momentum that followed Tencent Holdings Ltd's 2004 debut, and sees valuations increasing by 20% across the board over the next year. In another potential boost, fast-fashion retailer Shein Group Ltd is considering switching its planned IPO to Hong Kong from London. The bullish sentiment is evident in the gains in Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd, whose stock has rallied 36% this year. IPO proceeds could reach HK$160bil – this year and put Hong Kong back at the top perch globally, according to estimates by CGS International. Bing Yuan, a fund manager at Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, said stellar listings by the likes of CATL and Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co suggest companies with global footprints and strong governance standards tend to attract more interest from international investors. Despite the budding optimism, a meaningful boost to liquidity and a shift in global funds' perception of Hong Kong as an attractive destination may take time to materialise. There is also the risk of new listings diverting demand away from existing stocks and somewhat offsetting the boost to the broader market. There's little doubt though that a broader revaluation is underway. The Hang Seng Index is among Asia's best performers this year, thanks to an earlier rally driven by DeepSeek's artificial intelligence breakthrough and Beijing's economic support. The Hong Kong benchmark now trades at 10.3 times forward earnings estimates, above a three-year average ratio at around nine. 'The inclusion of H-share listings of A-share companies in major MSCI indexes could serve as a meaningful catalyst for both passive and active capital flows into Hong Kong,' said Gary Tan, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments. 'This is particularly significant for sectors such as tech and consumer, which remain underrepresented in Hong Kong relative to their growing importance in China's economic future.' — Bloomberg
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Gold prices climb as tariff jitters lift safe-haven demand
GOLD prices climbed on Monday as an escalation in the Russian war in Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's fresh threat to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminum prompted investors to seek refuge in safe-haven bullion. Spot gold was up 0.5% at $3,305.85 an ounce, as of 0204 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.4% to $3,329.80. "With trade and geopolitical worries bubbling to the surface once again, it's no surprise to see gold ticking higher to start the week," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. "Risk assets are on the backfoot to start the week while a dip in the dollar is also keeping gold supported." Trump said on Friday that he plans to raise tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25%, prompting the European Commission to warn that Europe is prepared to retaliate. Ukraine and Russia escalated hostilities ahead of their second round of peace talks in Istanbul, with a wave of attacks that included one of Ukraine's boldest strikes of the war and an overnight drone assault by Russia. The U.S. dollar index edged 0.2% lower, making bullion less expensive for overseas buyers. Markets are awaiting speeches from several U.S. Federal Reserve officials this week for cues on the monetary policy outlook, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell set to speak later in the day. Fed Governor Christopher Waller said that interest rate cuts remain possible later this year even as the Trump administration's tariff regime is likely to push up price pressures temporarily. Gold, which is considered as a safe-haven asset during the time of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, tends to thrive in low-interest rate environment. Meanwhile, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to speak soon to iron out trade issues including a dispute over critical minerals, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday. Elsewhere, spot silver was steady at $32.99 an ounce, platinum was down 0.6% at $1,049.72 and palladium fell 0.5% to $965.77. (Reporting by Anmol Choubey in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
