Tourism Malaysia continues promotion of diving attractions

LABUAN: Tourism Malaysia will continue to aggressively promote the country's attractive diving sites to foreign divers.
Its first mission this year is to Russia, through its ambassador, Clement Lee, who has been assigned to the country to present talks on Malaysia's popular and latest dive sites in Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan and the peninsula.
Leading Russian and international manufacturers and service providers in the industry and aqua enthusiasts such as scuba divers, free divers, spear fishers and underwater photographers will gather under one roof at the annual Moscow Dive Show from Feb 1-4.
"The goal of the show is to create an effective communication platform for wholesale and retail businesses, dealership networks' expansion, direct sale of goods and services and an annual meeting point for the diving community.
"I will be embarking on another overseas promotional mission to give talks in the Russian largest dive wholesaler RuDive during the four-day event, with some 20 invited agents and group leaders all over Russia scheduled to attend our talk," he told Bernama.
Labuan-born Lee who was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2011 and is Tourism Malaysia's diving segment ambassador for 2017-2019, said Malaysia's dive spots were on par with other popular scuba dive sites across the globe.
He disclosed that two dive operators, Lang Tengah Summer Bay Holiday Resort and Borneo Divers Mabul Resort, accompanied by Tourism Malaysia deputy director (Package Division) Yasmin Samsuddin would be in the promotion delegation.
"We expect lots of promotion activities during the event and we will also attend a Mega Networking party organised by Russia's huge Crocodile Dive Club. This is a perfect opportunity for all of us to get to know potential dive agents and dive shops," he said.
On the last day of the event, Lee will give a presentation and highlight Malaysia's various dive spots and resorts.
"Of course, Labuan's popular wreck diving and newly-discovered Venon Banks will be featured in my talk," he said.
Tourism Malaysia will also conduct lucky draws offering tourism and dive packages sponsored by Layang Layang Island Resort and Borneo Divers and Summer Bay Holidays.
"Russian divers do really favour Malaysia for reasons of convenience of air connections, our friendly Malaysians, our melting pots of cultures and heritages and people and most important of all we have the warm weather verses Russia's cold spells.
"I am very positive we can draw Russian divers to Malaysia," he said, adding, Tourism Malaysia received encouraging feedback from wholesalers and tour operators, with many requesting for more information, and others already making enquiries for the special packages to Malaysia. — AFP