TKB To Strengthen Tourism Ecosystem, F&B Through RM1 Bln Urban Forest
IPOH, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- The development of an urban forest worth over RM1 billion in Tambun here is expected to be a catalyst for the state's economic growth when the 84-acre project is completed within three years.
Team Keris Bhd (TKB) in collaboration with RJJ Hotels Sdn Bhd and Malaysian Chinese Restaurant Association (MCRA) plan to strengthen the tourism, hospitality, food and beverage (F&B), retail and commercial ecosystems in the area.
Perak Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said the development would complement the existing ecosystem in Tambun, including the Lost World of Tambun and other commercial and hospitality developments, thus potentially turning the area into a tourism hub.
"You need to be upscaled and, of course, upgraded and also adapted to the international ecosystem. With the current development of an urban forest, we expect international-class hotel services to also be there.
"Famous Perak (and also Ipoh) food outlets will also be there. So it will make Ipoh and also Perak in general enter the international tourism market so that Perak will no longer be a domestic tourism centre but we are moving towards international tourism," he said at a press conference after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with RJJ Hotels and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MCRA at the TKB headquarters here today.
Meanwhile, TKB group executive chairman Datuk Lee Seng Hee said the urban forest will feature a F&B concept comprising 40 per cent operators affiliated with the MCRA and 60 per cent Malaysian operators, as part of efforts to showcase Malaysia’s diverse culinary offerings to international tourists.
He said the development will also ensure that 30 per cent of the overall F&B offering is Muslim-friendly, with MCRA working on Muslim-friendly selections, including halal dim sum, to cater to a wider range of visitors.
“We believe Perak deserves the very best, not simply more developments but better ideas, richer experiences and standards worthy of the state we call home. With the urban forest, we set out to do something different.
“Food has the power to draw people across cities and borders; hospitality determines how a place makes them feel once they arrive. That thinking extends through our newly established TKB Tours & Hospitality, where we look at the visitor journey in its totality; from accommodation and dining to transport, discovery and experiences beyond the urban forest,” he said.
He added the F&B component would complement the hospitality offering by RJJ, which is expected to bring international visitors to Ipoh through its extensive global network, while providing Malaysian food operators with exposure to tourists from markets including Australia, Britain and the United States.
RJJ Hotels chief executive officer Yap Lip Seng said the company’s affiliation with Jin Jiang Hotels, which has more than 200 million members across more than 50 countries and over 40 hotel brands, would provide the urban forest with a global platform to promote Ipoh as a food and hospitality destination.
“We work with travel agents, we work with package deals, we work with special offerings so that we bring people to Ipoh and Perak not needing to worry "I fly to KL, how do I get to Ipoh?", "I fly to Penang, how do I get to Ipoh?". But we package it in the way that you don't have to worry, you have the connectivity end to end and you can stay here for an extended stay.
“They come and stay, not just one night, two nights, but get the experience with all the meals, all the different offerings of food that we have in the urban forest. When we bring hospitality into the entire ecosystem, we make people feel comfortable and happy and they enjoy and they come back,” he said.
MCRA president Gao Houyun said the collaboration would not only attract international brands but also provide training and skills development for local operators and workers, helping to upgrade the state’s food and hospitality industry to meet international standards.
He said the association also aimed to support the development of a localised supply chain, including encouraging Chinese manufacturers of sauces, spices and other food ingredients to establish factories in Perak.
He added that Malaysia’s halal certification could serve as a strategic advantage, allowing products and restaurant brands developed in Perak to expand into Malaysia and the wider Southeast Asian markets, potentially creating new investment, employment and export opportunities for the state.
-- BERNAMA