MALAYSIA MIDNIGHT SALE 2024 SET TO ENCOURAGE TOURISTS TO STAY OVERNIGHT

JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 31 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia has launched the Malaysia Midnight Sale 2024 across the city, aiming to attract more domestic and international tourists to shop and stay overnight in Johor.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy said that this new initiative, part of the Malaysia Year End Sale 2024 campaign, is organised in collaboration with Mastercard, Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, and GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. The sale will run for four days, beginning yesterday.

“This is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that Tourism Malaysia is hosting a midnight sale. The aim is to attract more tourists from neighbouring countries, especially Singapore, encouraging them to spend and stay overnight in Johor.

“As of September, Johor has seen a total of 6.9 million daily visitors from Singapore, a substantial increase compared with pre-pandemic levels,” he said at a press conference following the launch of the Malaysia Midnight Sale 2024, at Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, last night.

Also present were WCT Holdings Berhad Concession and Hospitality Business Division director Lai Cheng Yee and Mastercard Business Development director Mohd Hanif Yaakob.

Manoharan noted that the campaign, running from 10 pm to midnight, offers discounts of up to 80 per cent, aiming to encourage daily visitors to stay overnight, thereby boosting the local economy and increasing tourist numbers.

“We want to convert daily visitors into tourists. According to the World Tourism Organisation's definition, tourists must stay overnight at their destinations. Through this programme, we expect more visitors will become overnight guests, staying in hotels around Johor Bahru,” he said.

He added that several hotels, including Ramada Straits Johor, Trinidad Suites Johor, Shama Suasana Johor Bahru, Holiday Inn Johor Bahru, Opero Hotel Southkey Johor Bahru, Hyatt Place Johor Bahru, Holiday Villa Hotel Johor Bahru, Thistle Johor Bahru, Grand Paragon Johor Bahru, New York Hotel Johor Bahru and Trove Johor Bahru, are offering special room rates, with discounts of up to 72 per cent, until this Saturday.

In addition to Paradigm Mall Johor Bahru, the midnight sale will also take place at GCH Retail locations around the city, including Mercato Garden Square, Mercato Plaza Pelangi, Giant Plentong, Giant Leisure Mall, Giant Tampoi, and Giant Southern City, until Saturday.

“After Johor, we plan to extend this campaign to Melaka and other states bordering neighbouring countries, such as Sabah, Sarawak, Penang, and Kedah. This initiative has also received positive feedback from shopping centres in Kuala Lumpur, which are interested in holding a similar midnight sale,” he said.

The Malaysia Midnight Sale 2024 features a range of activities at participating malls, including tour package exhibitions, live performances, hourly lucky draws, local fruit tastings, and entertainment for children.

-- BERNAMA