MORE competition in the aviation sector is beneficial in reinvigorating the country’s tourism industry and this augurs well for Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels (TAR&H) Sdn Bhd, which is trying to bring more visitors to its resort destinations.
“Air connectivity is a key driver for tourism growth and we would like to see more international carriers making Malaysia their hub along with increased international connectivity to Penang, Langkawi, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Johor,” said TAR&H group chief executive officer Amir Hamzah Azizan.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said last November that the government would not be protecting local airlines but rather encourage more competition in the local aviation sector.
Loke said fair competitions to airlines would be beneficial to all sectors, which in turn would keep fares low and subsequently be helpful for passengers as well as would reinvigorate the country’s tourism industry.
Amir said the primary focus for TAR&H is to develop, curate and operate both its key destinations — Langkawi and Johor — and continue to add new elements and activities while delivering a unique customer experience.
“We aim to have both destinations playing a significant role in helping Malaysia get back on the map for global tourism,” he told NST Property.
Amir said up north, TAR&H is taking a position by creating new experiences in The Datai Langkawi and propel the location into the luxury-eco holiday destination.
The company has created a new nature centre offering immersive education on marine and rainforest, thus allowing guests to experience the juxtaposition of luxury accommodation amid the rich tropical habitat.
“Our focus towards sustainability includes a conservation programme that sets out to protect and conserve the natural surroundings, specifically the marine biodiversity by encouraging sustainable fishing practices through community engagement.
“Refreshing our Datai hotel offering is key for us to sophisticatedly protect and conserve Langkawi’s nature-based tourism offerings,” he said.
Amir said the Datai Langkawi, which was given a facelift last year, has a unique set of regular, affluent visitors from around the world, with a majority of them being returning guests.
He said competition to attract tourists is increasing among destinations in the region, leading to a greater focus and more targeted approach on tourist promotions.
“Currently, we are seeing tour operators, attractions, hotels and other industry players adopt a marketing strategy that focuses on their individual offerings. Often, visitors or guests are looking at messaging about independent destinations or business within a region rather than one consistent set of messages about the core attributes of a destination.
“It would be a great opportunity for our tourism industry stakeholders to come together and align their strategies in favour of marketing a destination as a whole,” added Amir.