GEORGE TOWN, Nov 22 – Malaysia is aggressively gearing towards developing and upgrading its hubs for cruise tourism, says Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz. Following that, he said the government had given its full support towards establishing the country as the main cruise tourism playground of the East.
“In line with the ASEAN main economic integration policy, cruise tourism serves as a high prospect in drawing more tourists to ASEAN. Cruise tourism is among the key focus areas of Malaysia’s tourism development plans,” he said in his speech at the Halal Malaysia awards ceremony for Pizzeria La Tavernetta Restaurant of the Costa Victoria Cruise Liner here Saturday.
In the meantime, he also added that the plans are underway for the development of the Straits Riviera in Malaysia, comprising with six primary ports such as Penang, Port Klang, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, Melaka and Kuching, as well as other secondary ports.
Also present at the ceremony were Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state religion, domestic trade and consumerism affairs committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kasim. Costa Vistoria, a Victorian-class cruise ship owned and operated by Costa Crociere is the second cruise liner after Star Cruise that has obtained the Malaysia Halal Certification through one of its onboard eatery, the Pizzeria La Tavernetta.
Mohamed Nazri said co-relating halal with cruise, sets to attract more domestic and international Muslim tourists to experience Muslim-friendly amenities. Meanwhile, Abdul Malik said the demand for halal certification in the food sector had risen tremendously in not only ground-based eateries but also on board cruise liners.
