Good buzzing in the southern state

The future Puteri Harbour Convention Centre will be able to support a variety of business events, from exhibitions to banquets

A new MICE strategy and slew of infrastructure developments promise to raise the tourism appeal of Malaysia’s Johor State. By S Puvaneswary

An earnest transformation has been taking place in Johor, the southern-most state of Peninsular Malaysia and a bustling destination just across the border of Singapore.

New tourist attractions, specifically Legoland Malaysia and Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park, which opened in recent years, have helped to boost arrivals to the state.

But the Johor State Government wants more than just leisure traffic. Along with the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Johor Department of Tourism, the trio has set in motion plans to establish a state convention bureau by 2016 which will be tasked with attracting regional and international business events to Johor.

Johor will be the third secondary destination in Malaysia to have a convention bureau, after Sarawak in East Malaysia and Penang in the north, which is in the midst of setting up the Penang International Convention and Exhibition Bureau.

A working committee, comprising the public and private sector, has been formed to hammer out the details of the new convention bureau. It is co-chaired by Mohammad Rosly Md Selamat, senior vice president of economic intelligence at IRDA and Badrul Kassim, director of Johor Tourism Department.

Ismail Ibrahim, chief executive, IRDA, said the state is concurrently developing hardware in order to attract more business events.

On the hotel front, there are 10,400 rooms in 65 member hotels of the Malaysian Association of Hotels Johor Chapter in Johor Bahru, the state capital. Across the entire state, the inventory totals 12,500 rooms in 72 member hotels.

Since 2013, several international brand name hotels have opened in Johor Bahru. They include the 345-key Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel which offers seven flexible function rooms, and the 283-key Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour which features a 515m2 ballroom and five other multi-function rooms that are suitable for smaller groups ranging from 40 to 280 guests.

More rooms will come online in Iskandar Malaysia, which is being developed as a metropolis three times the size of Singapore. Room count in this district is expected to increase to 6,600 rooms by end-2015, from around 5,000 rooms now.

Noor M Ismail, head, sales & marketing at Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel, said: “New international hotels will help to draw delegates to the destination.”

He opined that the state’s numerous retail options such as Johor Premium Outlets, a collection of 130 designer and brand name outlet stores, along with family-friendly attractions add further value to Johor’s appeal.

“They will keep meeting delegates and their (accompanying family) happy,” he said, adding that clients from South-east Asia, India, China and the Middle East view Johor as an attractive option when packaged with Singapore, as meetings and tours in the southern state are more affordable.

Joe Lim, executive director of Konsortium Express and Tours in Singapore, agrees, saying that should more meetings be held in Johor, Singapore would benefit from day tours rather than overnight stays due to the higher cost of accommodation in the city state.

Michael Goh, senior vice president, sales of Star Cruises, suggested that delegates attending conventions and meetings in Johor could extend afterwards to Singapore for leisure cruises.

Attention is also being paid to the development of convention facilities. Johor’s main convention centre today is Persada Johor International Convention Center, which can accommodate up to 4,000 delegates.

Persada Johor International Convention
Center in Johor Bahru is presently the
state’s main venue for large business events

Recognised as the largest purpose built convention centre in Johor Bahru, Persada Johor International Convention Center has hosted high profile events such as the 8th World Islamic Economic Forum which attracted 2,100 delegates from 86 countries in December 2012.

The adjoining Puteri Pacific Johor Bahru provides accommodation support with 425 guestrooms, and is also equipped with a ballroom for 350 pax in a banquet setting and seven function rooms.

During the 8th World Islamic Economic Forum, meeting spaces at both the convention centre and hotel were fully optimised.

Ismail projected that three to four more convention centres would be needed in Nusajaya, Pasir Gudang and Senai over the next five years.

UEM Sunrise is expected to start constructing a convention centre in Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya, in April 2015. The venue – Puteri Harbour Convention Centre – is scheduled for completion in early 2018. Designed by Cox Architects as a boutique convention centre in a resort setting, Puteri Harbour Convention Centre will sit on a prime waterfront site and be flanked by Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Johor and International Ferry Terminal. Facilities will include a waterfront ballroom that can seat a 1,200-pax banquet, a plenary hall for 1,200 people which will be connected to a 5,000m2 exhibition hall, allowing for flexible expansion, as well as 1,500m2 of meeting space.

K Nirubah, director of sales and marketing for Persada Johor International Convention Centre and Puteri Pacific Johor Bahru, welcomes the formation of a convention bureau.

“With a bureau, we can market Johor more effectively and have a better presence at MICE trade shows. One of our biggest challenges is that we have not been able to get through to foreign meeting planners and incentive (specialists) due to the lack of awareness of (Johor),” she said.

Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has also backed Johor’s move. Zulkefli Sharif, CEO of the federal convention bureau, said establishing a state bureau would complement MYCEB’s efforts in bidding for more international events.

He added: “A bureau will also be able to inform and update meeting planners, incentive houses and all MICE players on the state’s meeting capacities, attractions and strengths as a MICE destination.

“Organisers will feel comfortable when fam trips and product updates are presented by people who know their products well and can provide technical support and advice.”

Besides support from a convention bureau, Syed G Qadir, managing director at Wonder Ways Dhaka, would like to see Singapore and Malaysia offering a single visa for MICE groups from Bangladesh, as that would encourage planners to twin both countries.

Ideas

Two-day corporate bonding excursion to Johor

Day 1

Start the day with a city tour of Johor Bahru. First, pay a visit to Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, one of the finest mosques in Malaysia. After a photo stop, drive past the Royal Mausoleum and proceed to Eastern Pewter for a demonstration by craftsmen on creating pewter accessories.

Break for lunch at Savaro Restaurant at Puteri Harbour, where a great view of the marina can be enjoyed.

Next, make a beeline for Johor Premium Outlets where your group can indulge in some retail therapy, buying up discounted brand name items.

Later, the tour continues onwards to Arulmigu Sri Raja Kaliamman, a Hindu temple made of glass. In May 2010 it was listed in the Malaysian Book of Records as the first and only glass temple in the nation.

The tour ends with a visit to Plaza Seni, a cultural centre showcasing local handicraft such as batik, textiles, copperware, wood carving and ceramics.

 

Take a trip back into the quiet, good old days with a visit to Kukup Village and see how the fishing community lives

Day 2 

 

Spend the day at Kukup Village, a fishing community in Pontian District, approximately 80km from Johor Bahru. The journey from the state’s capital will take your group past rubber estates and oil palm, coffee and cocoa plantations.

At Kukup Village, a private tour waits your group. Start with a visit to a fish farm where participants
will get to feed the fishes. A sumptuous seafood lunch will be served in a traditional fisherman’s house, followed by a guided tour around the village, which is entirely built on stilts.

Depart the village at 16.00 for Johor Bahru.

Itinerary by East Coast Adventure Travel & Tours

Need to Know

DoubleTree by Hilton opens in Johor’s central business district


Opened in July, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru offers 335 rooms, a business centre and four F&B outlets.

It boasts a dedicated event floor that comprises 10 versatile meeting spaces including two divisible ballrooms and spacious outdoor function areas. The largest venue, the Grand Ballroom, can host 750 guests for receptions or 450 in theatre-style.

It is also perfect for business travellers, thanks to its location in the central business district and close proximity to Persada Johor International Convention Centre. The hotel is also minutes from the Singapore-Malaysia causeway.

EduCity gives Johor a new sporty edge in events

Johor’s capacity for sports events notches up with the opening of EduCity Stadium & Sports Complex on March 1, 2013. The 14,000-seat stadium comprises a world-class football cum rugby field, a 400m athletic track, an aquatic centre complete with Olympic-size swimming and diving pool, an indoor arena with multiple courts for badminton, basketball and futsal, and outdoor courts for tennis, volleyball and futsal.

The complex can also support private functions such as corporate gala dinners, concerts and Chinese opera shows.

For enquiries, email esc.info@educity-iskandar.com.my.

Take a break in natural surroundings

The Endau-Rompin National Park comes highly recommended as a destination for business warriors to escape the bustling city and bask in nature’s lush environs. Participants can enjoy various activities such as jungle trekking, camping, visiting an aboriginal village, bird watching and nature studies.

More than fruity delights at the Desaru Fruit Farm

Ideal as a pre- or post-tour programme, Desaru Fruit Farm in Johor offers visitors a guided tour of the 180-acre tropical fruit land which is home to more than 100 varieties of tropical fruit. Visitors can learn about good agricultural practices and integrated pest management. Visit www.desaruff.com for more information on the attraction.

A spicy affair

The Spice Kitchen in Johor Bahru is loved for its Indian-Chinese fusion cuisine which features traditional Hakka recipes infused with Indian spices. North Indian and Thai dishes are available too. The restaurant can seat around 140 guests and offers outdoor catering services.

For reservations, contact restaurant@thespicekitchen.com.my.

A grand option for business events in Johor

Featuring 330 stylish rooms, 18 meeting rooms, an indoor ballroom that can seat 300 people in a banquet setting and three outdoor banquet venues, Le Grandeur Palm Resort Johor is able to support a range of business events.

Gala dinners can be hosted outdoors by the resort’s Olympic-size swimming pool where a floating stage can be arranged.

Customised teambuilding activities can also be done on-site, thanks to the resort’s impressive range of sports and recreational facilities including an eight-lane bowling alley, squash and tennis courts, a bicycle rental service, and a lawn for games like futsal, volleyball and netball.

As Le Grandeur Palm Resort Johor sits close to Palm Resort Golf & Country Club, event planners can easily fit in friendly golf games before or after meetings. Palm Resort Golf & Country Club offers three golf courses that are suitable for novice and professional golfers.

More information on both properties can be found at www.palmresort.com.

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