GEORGE TOWN, Aug 16 — Culture and heritage tourism is a new segment that will boost Malaysian tourism, said Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said the new tourism product will put Malaysia on the world map as one of the destinations for culture and heritage experience due to its rich history, especially Malacca and Penang.

Ng said MTPB’s vision was to promote Malaysia as one of the destinations for culture and heritage tourism with the focus on contemporary visual arts.

“We have done well in performing arts and now we want to promote Malaysia as tourist destination for visual arts namely in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Malacca, Alor Setar, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching,” she said.

Ng was speaking to reporters after officiating the George Town Art Trial 2013 at Seven Terraces, Stewart Lane, here today.

Part of the 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism festival, the event is being held from July to September as a premier art tourism festival encompassing exhibitions, forums, seminars at several locations nationwide.

Ng also urged tour operators to launch art tourism packages as art sales add strength to the economy, adding that RM800,000 was generated from art auction by galleries last year.

Furthermore, Ng said bringing visual arts exhibition to Malaysia will also help local artists, encourage youngsters to love art galleries and becoming a lifestyle trend among the people.

“We hope visiting art galleries will become a lifestyle for Malaysians as it was a healthy development and also encourage the people to understand its own culture more,” she said.

Meanwhile, Eastern & Oriental Berhad (E&O) Penang is organising a culture and heritage photography exhibition to raise public awareness on local culture and heritage.

The three-day exhibition starting today, will displaying top entries by the employees of E&O at the public lobby of Straits Quay shopping center in Seri Tanjung Pinang, here.

Speaking to reporters after the launch of the exhibition by Kebun Bunga assemblyman Cheah Kah Peng here today, General Manager of Lone Pine Hotel and Trust Leader for Cultural & Heritage Thrust, Guido

Farina said the project was carried out by the E&O and Lone Pine Hotel employees as part of their community relations programme called, A.R.T Programme, (Act, Reachout and Transform). – Bernama