ITB Berlin News 2019 - Day 1 Edition

BROUGHT
TO YOU BY
ASIA
REGION
55
ROYAL BELUM TARGETS
UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE STATUS
Royal Belum state park in
Malaysia could soon be the
second location in Perak
to gain UNESCO World
Heritage listing, while
Malaysia’s Taman Negara
is also bidding to be placed
on the list.
The first site in Perak, that of
“Perak Man” was named on the
World Heritage list a number
of years ago, and Royal Belum
is now a hot contender to be
placed on the list, along with
Taman Negara National Park.
With Belum literally meaning
“Land Before Time”, Royal
Belum State Park is still one of
Asia’s best kept nature secrets. It
is part of Malaysia’s largest and
oldest forest reserve – Belum
Temenggor – in the northern
part of the Malaysian Peninsula.
Belum Temenggor is home not
only to an astonishing number of
plants and animals, but to many
orang asli or “aboriginal people”
who having been living in the
forest for millennia. The orang
asli are of Australo-Melanesian
origin, with many of their earliest
burial grounds dating back
10,000 years ago. Semi-nomadic
orang asli villages can be found
today on some of the islands of
Temenggor; they still live in their
traditional way in bamboo huts,
hunting small mammals using
blowpipes, fishing and gathering
plants and honey from the forest.
It is possible to visit a village if
pre-organised through the local
tour guide in advance.
Along with the Taman Negara
National Park, Belum Temenggor
is one of the oldest rainforests
in world, dating back over 130
million years.
The International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
is studying the proposal
which was tabled in 2017 by
the Permanent Delegation of
Malaysia to UNESCO, following
which the IUCN provided the
World Heritage Committee with
an evaluation for further action
Hall 26a / Stand 117
CELEBRATE ASIA’S
DIVERSITY – IN PENANG
Throughout 2019, the Penang
State Tourism will introduce
and promote a new tourism
campaign which aims to
drive visitors to its shores
with more exciting features
and happenings for year 2020
and beyond. The “Experience
Penang 2020” campaign, with
the tagline “Celebrate Asia’s
Diversity”, encompasses
diverse elements of beauty, fun,
amusement, excitement and
satisfaction.
The campaign aims to highlight
all of Penang’s splendour to
visitors locally and abroad
showcasing every aspect of
Penang’s amazing diversity in
culture, heritage, arts, food as
well as its natural surroundings
of lovely sandy beaches and
breath-taking hills.
Penang has long been an ideal
getaway for sun, sea and sand
holiday-makers. In 2008 its
capital, George Town, was listed
as a UNESCO World Heritage
site, featuring Malaysia’s bestrestored
and re-adaptive
traditional architecture as well
as a multitude of heritage trades
and arts.
Penang has been experiencing
an influx of tourists ever since.
The streets have come alive
with boutique hotels, quirky
cafes and recognisable streetart.
Its reputation for good food,
that has long been its hallmark,
has further enhanced. Travellers
the world over flock to Penang
for an immersive experience
of Penang’s cultural diversity
through world-class street
food, vibrant festivals, cultural
and historical treasure troves,
nostalgic old-world charm,
modern amenities, splashy
seaside excursions, and breathtaking
green spaces
Hall 26a / Stand 117
ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 6 th March 2019