THE 1MALAYSIA Tanglung (Lantern) Festival to be held on September 10 in Kuala Lumpur is a fine example of collaboration between the government and private sector to develop a tourism product, said the country’s tourism minister, Ng Yen Yen.
The one-day event in Chinatown comprises lantern-based participatory activities and stage performances by Chinese and other ethnic groups. This year’s festival is expected to attract 40,000 local and foreign visitors, a 74 per cent increase over last year’s 23,000 guests.
Since 2009, the tourism ministry has been providing a non-governmental organisation, the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Assembly Hall (KLCAH), with an annual grant of RM250,000 (US$84,000) to organise the full-day event and facilitate the involvement of local cultural organisations.
“KLCAH has gained the support and participation of 250 cultural associations for this year’s festival. (The ministry’s) role has been to promote the event,” Ng said.
Efforts to target international tourists included informing agents as well as posting the event on the ministry’s tourism calendar.
“The date is on our tourism calendar, which spans three years. This will give agents a chance to plan and develop packages around this event,” Ng said. “Tourists already in the country will be informed of the festival via their hotels.”
Come 2014, the KLCAH will have to self-fund the festival.
“As the numbers show, the festival has grown in popularity since its commencement. Given this situation, the KLCAH should easily be able to obtain sponsorship from other sources,” Ng said.
By N. Nithiyananthan
