Latest news with #TourismJohor
New Straits Times
37 minutes ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
RM50m in tourism, culture grants almost used up, says Tourism Malaysia
PASIR GUDANG: The federal government's RM50 million allocation for grants to boost tourism and cultural activities has nearly run dry due to overwhelming response from industry players and event organisers. Tourism Malaysia Southern Region deputy director Awang Shawal Awang Sulaiman said the strong response to the Tourism Sector Support Grant (GSSP) and Cultural Sector Support Grant (GSSK) bodes well for the run-up to Visit Malaysia 2026. "We did not expect this level of interest. "It's barely halfway through the year but the RM20 million under GSSK and RM30 million under GSSP have been heavily subscribed since applications opened in January. "We are confident the grants will continue next year. For now, we urge more organisers to apply before the end of the year," he said after launching the Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026 (VJ2026) vehicle stickers for tourism buses at Taman Mawar here today. Present were state Tourism, Arts and Culture director Norazlin Abu Mutalib and Tourism Johor director Mohammad Nazrul Abd Rahim. The initiative, organised with the Johor Tour Bus Operators Association, involved affixing campaign stickers on 70 tourism vehicles to raise public and visitor awareness. Awang Shawal said multiple agencies were committed to making VM2026 and VJ2026 successful through strategic partnerships and aggressive promotional drives. "This collaborative approach will strengthen Malaysia's tourism ecosystem and unlock more economic opportunities, especially for locals and industry stakeholders. "We are confident these efforts will reaffirm Malaysia's position as a premier global destination, with Johor as the gateway for Southeast Asian tourists," he said.
AsiaOne
15-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
'Thousands' of Singaporeans shopping in JB driving up food, rental prices: Johor chief minister, Singapore News
The influx of Singaporeans flocking into Johor Bahru (JB) for grocery runs is pushing up the cost of living there, said Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi. Speaking at a business forum in JB on Sunday (July 13), The Star reported that he pledged to tackle inflation in Johor as the state moves towards achieving developed status by year 2030. Onn Hafiz noted that living in JB is becoming more expensive than anywhere else in Malaysia. "Thousands of Singaporeans cross the Causeway, especially on weekends, to do their grocery shopping here, and we are seeing food and rental prices going up," he said. "A plate of nasi lemak with fried chicken here is around RM9 (S$3), while the same dish in Kuala Lumpur costs only RM7. That clearly shows Johor is becoming more expensive." Housing projects selling 'like hotcakes' Addressing Malaysia's business community on Sunday, Onn Hafiz also pointed out that property prices in JB are "already higher than some in Singapore". This is due to housing projects in the state selling "like hotcakes", he said, adding that more affordable housing needs to be developed for locals. "The reason I am raising this is because I know I cannot do this alone. We must work together to make Johor, and Malaysia as a whole, more prosperous," said Onn Hafiz. The Johor chief minister added that is administration is working on a mechanism to cool inflation without choking off growth, reported the Malay Mail. More than 10 million foreign tourists visited Johor between January and May this year, with a bulk of them — about 7.9 million — coming from Singapore, according to figures from Tourism Johor. That is 1.8 million more compared to the same period in 2024. [[nid:720025]] chingshijie@
The Star
01-07-2025
- The Star
Johor to tap into history, culture for tourism boost
BATU PAHAT: Johor is committed to enhancing elements of history and culture as key pillars of the state's tourism sector, with the aim of raising awareness of the state's rich heritage among both local and international visitors. Tourism Johor director Mohammad Nazrul Abd Rahim said that, in conjunction with the Visit Johor 2026 campaign, various initiatives and promotions will be implemented comprehensively to showcase Johor's wealth of historical sites, performing arts and traditional culture. 'Among the locations with potential to be highlighted is the JKR Barracks in Parit Sulong, now known as the Parit Sulong Gallery. 'It functions as a mini museum and once served as a 'silent witness' to fierce battles between Allied (Commonwealth) and Japanese forces during World War II,' he told Bernama during the Yok Ronda BP programme here yesterday. He said this site also commemorates an important incident in the nation's history, as it was the final battlefield before Japanese troops invaded Singapore and took control of Malaya at the time. According to Mohammad Nazrul, in addition to its historical richness, Johor is also home to various forms of performing arts and cultural traditions, such as ghazal and the craft of gambus making, which are increasingly unfamiliar to the younger generation. 'We will continue to elevate these cultural arts as part of our tourism products. Tourism Johor will also collaborate with other agencies, including the Johor Heritage Foundation, to ensure the success of these efforts,' he said. In addition, various small and medium enterprise products, such as kerepek and traditional snacks, will also be promoted as tourist attractions throughout the campaign. Mohammad Nazrul stated that efforts to promote Johor's historical heritage, arts, and culture will not end after the Visit Johor 2026 campaign but will continue as part of the state government's long-term agenda. Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has announced a target of 12 million domestic and international tourist arrivals and tourism revenue of RM42bil next year. The state government has also allocated RM116.35mil to upgrade public facilities and enhance tourist attractions in support of the campaign.
Barnama
30-06-2025
- Barnama
Johor Highlights History, Culture For Visit Johor Year 2026
BATU PAHAT, June 30 (Bernama) – The Johor government states that it is committed to enhancing elements of history and culture as key pillars of the state's tourism sector, aiming to raise awareness of Johor's rich heritage among both local and international visitors. Tourism Johor director Mohammad Nazrul Abd Rahim said that in conjunction with the Visit Johor Year 2026 campaign, various initiatives and promotions will be implemented comprehensively to showcase Johor's wealth of historical sites, performing arts and traditional culture. "Among the locations with potential to be highlighted is the JKR Barracks in Parit Sulong, now known as the Parit Sulong Gallery. It functions as a mini museum and once served as a 'silent witness' to fierce battles between Allied (Commonwealth) and Japanese forces during World War II," he told Bernama during the Yok Ronda BP programme here today. He said this site also marks a significant moment in the nation's history, as it was the final battlefield before Japanese troops invaded Singapore and subsequently defeated the forces led by Lieutenant Adnan and took control of Malaya at the time. According to Mohammad Nazrul, in addition to its historical richness, Johor is also home to various forms of performing arts and cultural traditions, such as ghazal and the craft of gambus making, which are increasingly unfamiliar to the younger generation. 'We will continue to elevate these cultural arts as part of our tourism products. Tourism Johor will also collaborate with other agencies, including the Johor Heritage Foundation, to ensure the success of these efforts,' he said. In addition, various small and medium enterprise products such as ''kerepek'' and traditional snacks will also be promoted as tourist attractions throughout the campaign. Mohammad Nazrul stated that efforts to promote Johor's historical heritage, arts and culture will not end after the Visit Johor Year 2026 campaign, but will be continued as part of the state government's long-term agenda. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has announced a target of 12 million domestic and international tourist arrivals and tourism revenue of RM42 billion next year.
New Straits Times
29-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Johor plans bigger KJH next year with Tourism, Majestic Johor
JOHOR BARU: The Johor state government plans to collaborate with Tourism Johor and Majestic Johor to expand the scale and reach of the Karnival Jom Heboh (KJH) next year. State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said the initiative aims to provide a broader and more impactful platform for local young entrepreneurs. Speaking at the KJH X National Pineapple Day event at Angsana Johor Baru Mall, Mohd Hairi said that the three-day programme had already attracted more than 250,000 visitors as of yesterday. "I would like to express my sincere thanks to Media Prima for organising this programme, which serves as a stepping stone for emerging entrepreneurs. "We can see many Johorean entrepreneurs, particularly among the younger generation, raising their profiles and becoming more competitive in the market. "God willing, we hope to organise an even bigger programme next year. Today, visitors were already arriving early in the morning. I, along with the Tourism Johor director, may begin early planning, potentially in partnership with Majestic Johor. "I also hope that next year's edition will feature Johor-born artistes," he told reporters during his visit to the KJH X National Pineapple Day booths, accompanied by Media Prima chief operating officer Datuk Mohd Efendi Omar. Yesterday, Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup was reported as saying that the ministry was confident of achieving its 500,000-visitor target for KJH X National Pineapple Day. As of yesterday, he said, 50 per cent of that target had already been achieved.
