@TourismSarawak

Cats FM and Visit Sarawak Year 2014

OOoohhhaaaa!! [Greeting from the Sarawak]

On 16 November 2013 - CATS FM is collaborating with Sarawak Tourism Ministry for Visit Sarawak Year (VSY) promotional campaign. The media launch for the VSY promotional campaign is officiated by Sarawak Tourism and Housing Minister, Datuk Amar Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg.

CATS FM, the official media for VSY, plays a major role in promoting this major event on-air, online and on the ground also introducing new tourism products, including the promotion of various activities that will be held in 2014. CATS FM via its mobile team, CATS Perodua Rangers will highlight attractive destinations in Sarawak. The team will travel the length of Sarawak and meet the local people with the main objective to maximize the arrival of domestic tourists including bordering countries such as Indonesia and Brunei.

The event was held at the Plaza Merdeka. This time I went with my best friend who is also a photographer for NTGravity Zone but he is not accustomed to being using a DSLR camera then I had to take back that job. Haha... It's ok - Learning in progress...

That's the logo for Visit Sarawak Year.

Around 8.00pm the arrival of Minister of Housing and Minister of Tourism Sarawak, YB Datuk Amar Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg and his wife, YBhg Datin Amar Hajjah Juma’ani binti Tun Tuanku Haji Bujang. Also present were Assistant Minister of Land Development and Tourism (Local events and products) Datuk Gramong Juna, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Datu Pahon Ik Joyik, CEO of Sarawak Tourism Board Dato’ Rashid Khan and Executive Director of CATS FM Dato Hajah Hanifah Taib-Alsree.

Soon after he and other dignitaries have seated - YB Datuk Amar Abang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Tun Datuk Zohari Abang Haji Openg then gave a speech and then launched for Visit Sarawak Year together with Dato Hajah Hanifah Taib-Alsree and Datuk Gramong Juna.

At this event the highlight includes the launch of the VSY theme song, logo, it's 30-sec tv commercial and 2014 Event Introduction Video, and the main highlight is the symbolic flagging off the VSY Road Tour convoy headed by the mobile crew, the famous CATS Perodua Rangers.

[ Anyways, two bloggers are lucky to join CATS FM tour throughout Sarawak: i'm so jealous! haha ]

"....and it's official now!"

Theme song performed by Noh Salleh and Dayang Nurfaizah for Visit Sarawak Year. If you want to listen to the song click on the Youtube video below.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of CATS FM Dato Hajah Hanifah Taib-Alsree said CATS FM played a major role in promoting the VSY by introducing new tourism products.

“CATS FM is also initiating several programmes as part of the promotional campaign through the radio and the Internet. It is a strategy of creating awareness and gain support from the local community to promote Sarawak to friends, relatives and acquaintances abroad.

She added;

“The website SarawakAdventures.com will work as a provider of information and attractive travel packages to Sarawak and as for the Sarawak Ambassador Programme which is another marketing approach which allows every Sarawakian to play a part in promoting the state to the rest of the world,”

After that, the symbolic flagging off the VSY Road Tour promotional convoy and Bus Asia where the local company’s buses will help to promote the event by carrying its logo, banners and stickers on its routes to Pontianak and Brunei Darussalam.

After flagging off, we head back in this time to Starbuck for a press conference with Datuk Amar Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg accompanied by Datuk Gramong Juna, Datu Pahon Ik Joyik, Dato’ Rashid Khan, Dato Hajah Hanifah Taib-Alsree and Datuk Amar's wife, Datin Amar Hajjah Juma’ani binti Tun Tuanku Haji Bujang.

[ Meanwhile at the main stage: Guest Artists Performances ]

Datuk Amar said Sarawak could be at the forefront of the country’s tourism industry by 2020 as the state would set up more attractions a proposed theme park resort in Samariang and many others.

He also revealed that as of last month, the state received four million visitors who contributed about RM8.6mil to the tourism industry.

“We estimate that by the end of this year we would receive up to 4.2 million tourists, about half of them would be from Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah,” said him.

Important notes were presented by Datuk Amar are...,

Next year in the Sarawak tourism calendar is packed with events so he wants all service providers, particularly the tourism to take this opportunity to introduce our attractions, culture, hospitality and yang paling penting - our smiles.

Malaysia, especially Sarawak has a good relationship with the Pontianak to Yogyakarta, Indonesia which allows us to bring more tourists to the state as several airlines would be taking part in the campaign by preparing special packages including attractive airfares.

New route from Miri, a direct flight to Manila, Philippines.

Bintulu is now another destination for Star Cruise that always brings at least 1.5K visitors per week. The minister still under negotiation to bring down the cruise to Kuching but this might take up to few years as it might take up the such as setting up marine-based for cruise ship and so on.

Soon after that, the event has ended and we are optional to stay and watch the performances while sipping out our coffee and also light refreshment right back at the stage area but we already have other things to be manned - so we got to make a move.

Thank you to Mr Harrisons from CATS FM for inviting NTGravity Zone to the Media Launch For Visit Sarawak Year. Congratulations!!

Thank you for the goodies and hot large coffee... #SuperLoveIt