THE Lost World of Tambun theme park in Perak, Malaysia is seeking to net a greater share of medium and longhaul MICE business, with sights specifically set on central Europe, China, India and the Middle East.
According to Calvin Ho, general manager of the Lost World of Tambun, the park aims to increase the medium and longhaul markets from the current five per cent to 40 per cent by 2015.
Currently, domestic tourists comprise 75 per cent of visitors to the park while regional tourists from South-east Asia make up 20 per cent.
Said Ho: “The Euro is down and the world economy has not fully recovered, but there are still able travellers. Perak is under-visited, and Malaysia on the whole is an affordable destination where travellers can get more out of their money.”
Aside from attracting families and eco-enthusiasts with its leisure and natural offerings, the theme park is keen to woo MICE visitors.
“We would like to grow the MICE component as it is a high-yield segment,” said Ho.
A 175-room Lost World Hotel is equipped with meeting facilities, and there is also an on-site teambuilding park with outdoor facilities such as a 13m high rope course and rock climbing activity with natural abseil.
To ramp up awareness of the Lost World of Tambun, which is also a member of the Sunway Group, Ho said there were plans to kickstart inaugural efforts to exhibit at international travel trade shows such as World Travel Market and Arabian Travel Market this year.
To further grow the longhual MICE segment, the destination will work on joint advertising with travel consultants, and organise media and agent familiarisation trips.
“Going for us are 1.5-hour direct flights from Singapore to Ipoh and we are just a two-hour drive from Penang and Kuala Lumpur,” Ho added.
“There are several theme parks in Malaysia but we are very unique with nine natural hot spring pools of various temperatures ranging from 37 degrees to 54 degrees, plus we are surrounded by a 400 million-year-old limestone mountain.”
