Published on: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 |
Langkawi: It was planned long ago that Pulau Langkawi would host the big Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) 2005 when 1,600 delegates from 50 countries are expected to converge here to buy, sell and map future tourism directions and policies of the region as a whole.
"Most of Langkawi has largely escaped the recent tsunami disaster," noted a senior Tourism Malaysia officer, in stark contrast to what struck Phuket slightly further north. But who knows better the situation here?
S. S. Tan, City Bayview Hotel Front Office Manager. The 15-storey hotel is no more than 100 metres from the beach and probably no more than 10 feet above sea level in Bandar Kuah - Langkawi's main town.
Buildings line the edge of the town's beachfront but there's absolutely no sign of any tsunami impact.
"Langkawi is not bad at all," Tan told Daily Express.
"There is only one reported death and that's a crippled old lady, who was stuck to her village house and was unable to move," he said.
Though Langkawi has many beachfront resorts, only the beachfronts of two or three resorts suffered impacts but remain "fully operational," the Tourism Malaysia officer assured.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will officiate the grand opening of ATF 2005 here on Jan 25 before tourism ministers, senior government officials and industry captains from 10 Asean members - Brunei, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam - as well as those from China, Japan, South Korea, India and Russia.
The theme is "Shifting Paradigm - Prospering the Region" as Asean tourism heads meet to chart ways to boost their respective economies through a sustainable approach to enhance traffic.
The focus is to work on the "mindset" of the regional industry players, especially in prompting them to "adopt cutting edge ideas." Former Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, will be the keynote speaker.
Preparations for this Asean tourism highlight is reaching its peak as Malaysian Tourism Minister, Datuk Leo Michael Toyad, and his deputy Minister are here for two days - Monday and Tuesday.
Apart from inspecting the conference and exhibition facilities, they will also meet the local communities and assess the damage caused by tsunami, including to resorts and isolated villages as well as its various attractions.
