The Story So Far AirAsia.com

Since AirAsia introduced its low fare, no frills concept in December 2001, the airline now flies to over 60 destinations in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, China, Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar, formed 2 successful joint ventures in Thailand through Thai AirAsia, and Indonesia through Indonesia AirAsia, expanded its fleet from the original two to twenty eight, and revolutionized air travel in these country by offering incredibly low fares through its innovative sales channels. To date the AirAsia group, has carried over 35 million guests.

In June 2003, AirAsia announced three investors, IDB Infrastructure Fund L.P., Crescent Venture Partners and Deucalion Capital II Limited who have acquired equity in AirAsia Sdn Bhd worth US$26 million (RM98.80 million).

In August 2003, AirAsia became the first airline in the world to introduce mobile booking where guests can now book their seats, check flight schedules and obtain latest updates on AirAsia promotions from the convenience of their mobile phones. AirAsia also recently introduced Go Holiday, the airline's online programme where guests can book holiday packages online in real time.

AirAsia began regional flights in November 2003, by introducing flights to Phuket, in Thailand. The airline quickly extended flights to Bangkok, and later Hat Yai from KL International Airport. Flights to Indonesia commenced in April 2004 with routes serving Bandung, Surabaya, and Jakarta from KL International Airport. Subsequently the airline also introduced flights to Bali, Medan and Padang. AirAsia made history in Bandung, when it became the first low fare, no frills airline to operate a direct flight between Bandung and Kuala Lumpur in April 2004.

In Jan 2004, AirAsia carved a milestone in the history of Asian aviation when the low fare airline formed a partnership with Shin Corporation in Thailand to develop a low fare carrier in Thailand. Shin Corporation holds 50% stake, AirAsia has 49% and the remaining 1% by an individual. With 2 planes based in its Bangkok, AirAsia launched domestic operations in Thailand on January 13, 2004 with daily point-to-point flights from its new Bangkok hub and has since expanded to more domestic routes and new international flights to Singapore. AirAsia's Thai operation is scheduled to expand to a fleet of eight Boeing 737-300 by end 2004.

In July 2004, the low fare airline commenced service to the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Macau, by introducing a flight via is Thai operations from Bangkok. History will be made on Dec 15th 2004, when AirAsia launches its maiden service to Macau from its hub in Kuala Lumpur, and subsequently being the first low fare airline to do so.

In November 2004, AA International Limited (AAIL), a company that is 99.8 per cent owned by AirAsia Berhad, successfully concluded a sales and purchase agreement with Indonesian private airline PT AWAIR to acquire 49.0 per cent stake in the company. AWAIR was successfully re-launched as a low cost carrier serving domestic routes in Indonesia on 8 December 2004. AWAIR's hub is based at Soekarno - Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In April 2005, the AirAsia Group became the first low fare, no frills airline to commence services between Bangkok and Xiamen, in China, and Clark (the Philippines) from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu.

AirAsia is also now a public listed company on the Malaysia Stocks Exchange ( Bursa Malaysia), after having on 22 November 2004, successfully orchestrated one of the largest public offering in Malaysia and raised a whopping RM 717.4 million for its future expansion.

In line with its growth and expansion plans, AirAsia has secured a 175 aircraft commitment with Airbus for its A320s. The 175 aircraft order will place AirAsia as the single largest customer for the aircraft in Asia-Pacific, and potentially one of the largest airline fleets in the region. The new aircraft would gradually replaced AirAsia's existing Boeing 737-300s.

On 23 of March 2006, AirAsia successfully moved its operations to the new Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). This is a major milestone as it is the first dedicated terminal for low cost carrier operations in the world. The LCCT is designed to cater for 10 million passengers per annum with 30 parking bays for aircraft. It is upgradeable to cater for 15 million passengers if required. This terminal provides us with numerous cost saving opportunities as well as a more efficient operation.

The phenomenal growth of AirAsia reflects its vision to become an ASEAN brand. As one of the leading low fare airline in the region, AirAsia is the epitome of ASEAN with its rich cultures and wealth of resources. The airline further aspires to bring low fare travel to the people of ASEAN, and to encourage and boost trade and tourism amongst countries in ASEAN.

The Philosophy

With the tagline 'Now everyone can fly', AirAsia's philosophy of low fares is aimed to make flying affordable for everyone. AirAsia also aims at making travel easy, convenient and fun for its guests.

The Essentials

AirAsia's operations are based on the following key strategies:

Low fare, no frills

AirAsia's fares are significantly lower than those of other operators. This service targets the guests who will do without the frills of meals, frequent flyer miles or airport lounges in exchange for fares up to 80% lower than those currently offered with equivalent convenience.

No complimentary drinks or meals are offered. Instead, AirAsia recently introduced 'Snack Attack', a range of delicious snacks and drinks available on board at very affordable prices and prepared exclusively for AirAsia's guests. Guests now have the choice of purchasing food and drinks on board.

Frequent flights

AirAsia's high frequency service ensures guest convenience is met. The airline practices a quick turnaround of 25 minutes, which is the fastest in the region, resulting in high aircraft utilization, lower costs and greater airline and staff productivity.

Guest Convenience

AirAsia believes in providing convenient service to make traveling easier and more affordable for its guests. Guests can make bookings through a combination of the following:

Nationwide call centre - Launched in April 2002, AirAsia's Nationwide call centre in LCC Terminal is now fully equipped with 180 telephone lines providing convenient telephone booking services to guests. The call centre now takes an average of 6,000 calls daily.

Ticketless service – Launched on 18 April 2002, this concept complements AirAsia's internet booking and call centre service by providing a low cost alternative to issuing printed tickets. Guests no longer need to go through the hassle of collecting tickets!

Easy payment channels - In line with its “ Easy to Book, Easy to Pay & Easy to Fly” approach, on 1 March 2002 AirAsia became Malaysia's first airline to enable their guests to pay for their telephone bookings by credit card or by cash at any Alliance Bank branches.

Internet booking – As Asia's first online airline, AirAsia offers a new convenience in buying seats by logging on to its website www.airasia.com. No more phone calls, no more queuing. Launched on 10 May 2002, www.airasia.com is now available in 6 languages - English, Bahasa Malaysia, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Thai and Bahasa Indonesia.

Reservations and sales offices - These are available at airports and town centres for the convenience of walk-in customers.

Authorised travel agents – AirAsia also introduced a direct B2B engine to its agents. The internet-based real time inventory booking engine is the first in Asia. The agents make immediate payment via a virtual AirAsia credit card, developed through one of its strategic partners, Alliance Bank.

Improving customer service - AirAsia is constantly looking for ways to improve its services and increase savings for its guests. AirAsia is the first airline in Asia to have a multi-lingual website with six languages available on www.airasia.com.

Safety first

AirAsia's cost optimisation philosophy is in no way at the expense of the airline's safety. The airline's fleet of 30 Boeing 737-300 fully complies with the conditions of the International Aviation Safety and are regulated by the internationally reputed Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation. In July 2002, AirAsia signed a US$20 million agreement with GE Engineering Services for engine maintenance and later in the month, a US$3million aircraft engine and aircraft frame parts leasing agreement with VolvoAero. AirAsia also signed a US$7 million agreement with ST Aero, covering the airline's engineering components support for seven years.

Cost optimization operations

AirAsia strives to maximize profit and provide low fares at quality service. The airline has optimised costs by operating a faster turnaround time, improving aircraft utilization and crew efficiency, providing a 'no frills' service, using one type of aircraft to save training costs, all of which result in savings which are passed back to consumers in the form of low fares.

Tioman Island Malaysia

Tioman Island is located off the shores of Johor state in Malaysia. Film buffs may remember that this island served as a backdrop in the movie Bali High which was filmed in the 1950s. This island is the most popular island destination this side of Peninsular Malaysia. But despite its popularity, it still has a lot of rustic and rural charm.

Tioman Island is shaped like a drum stick with the “fleshier” part to the south. The most developed town on the island is Kampung Tekek. Nearby is the airport and the main jetty for ferries from the mainland. There is only a stretch of paved road that covers part of the west coast. It connects Kampung Tekek with Kampung Bunut, Kampung Paya and Kampung Genting. Kampungs are rural Malay villages characterized by wooden houses on stilts. The western part of Tioman Island is dominated by kampungs while the eastern part is mostly uninhabited, with Kampung Juara and Kampung Dungun as the only villages on that side.

How to get to Tioman Island

There are ferries that leave Mersing or Tanjung Gemuk, in Johor and the journey takes about 4.5 hours. Apart from regular ferries, there are also catamarans that are speedier and they cut the journey time down to two hours. Tickets can be purchased in Mersing from the many booking agents around the dock, which is situated near to the R&R Plaza. Tioman Island is also accessible by air. There are non-stop flights originating from Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan to Tioman.

For those who are headed from Singapore, there is a ferry service from Finger Pier. The catamaran ferry departs daily except on Wednesdays. Daily shuttle flights out of Changi International Airport to Tioman is another option.


Accommodation

There is only one true resort on the entire island believe it or not. It is called Berjaya Tioman Beach Resort and is situated southwest of Kampung Tekek. The telephone number for reservations starting with the country code is 60-9-419-1000 or fax 60-9-419-1718. The resort’s address for correspondence is P.O. Box 4, Mersing, Johor 86807, Malaysia.

Berjaya Resort offers air-conditioned rooms with all the amenities expected from a hotel.

There are other types of accommodation but the facilities are the barest of the minimum. Often these are chalets or kampung type houses, without hot water or telephones. There may be canteens where one can buy their meals. Bring mosquito nets and insect repellents and a flash light. The prices for this type of accommodation will vary according to the season and the bargaining ability of the renter.

Attractions

This island is a haven for those who are looking to hike and enjoy the abundance of flora and fauna. Bukit Nenek Sri Mukut and Bukit Batu Sirau are the twin peaks that were made famous by Bali High. They are situated at the southern end of the island. Water taxis can take you to any of the beaches close by and can pick you up again at a prearranged time. Near to the twin peaks is Mukut Waterfalls where you can go for cool refreshing dips.

Towards the northern part of the island is a trail that starts at Kampung Salang and continues south toward Kampung Tekek through Kampung Penuba and Kampung Air Batang. The trail turns on a south by south easterly direction that cuts across the island to Kampung Juara. This trail goes over mountains and passes by a rubber plantation. Kampung Juara is accessible only by this trail on land. The alternative is to take a water taxi. This secluded kampung offers some amenities and is the only village on the eastern side of the island. There are accommodations here for rent but a lot of them are older huts. The only television in this kampung belongs to the only eating establishment, The Happy Café.

For those who are more into water activities, the sea around Tioman is crystal clear. Snorkeling and scuba diving are best in the waters around the smaller islands near Tioman. The blue azure sea hosts a wide variety of tropical fish and coral reefs. There are underwater caves around Pulau Cebeh for divers to explore. Diving trips can be easily arranged through the Tioman Island Resort, Ben’s Diving Center on Salang Beach, and Samudra Swiss Cottages on Tekek Beach.

Salang Beach by Kampung Salang is also a great spot for diving and snorkeling. The white sandy beach is another favorite stop for tourists. The ferry that comes from Mersing will stop here after Kampung Tekek and Kampung Air Batang.

For those who want to island hop, Rawa Island is the most developed of all the surrounding islands in the area. Rawa Island Safari Resort on the island offers guests activities such as wind surfing, canoeing, fishing and skin diving. To make reservations for this resort, call 60-7-799-1204

Babi Besar Island is bigger then Rawa and is closer to the mainland. Accommodations are cheap at the budget chalets and bungalows that dot the island. Do remember that all the islands close down during the monsoon season which is from November to January.

Telephones and Banks

The only public phones aside from the ones in Tioman Resort are at Kampung Tekek, Kampung Air Batang and Kampung Salang. Telekom phone cards for these phones can be bought anywhere in Malaysia or on the island. There are no banks on the island but you can exchange your currencies at money changers at the airport, Kampung Tekek by the jetty and at Tioman Island Resort. Some of the islanders have cell phones and are willing to let you use them for a fee.

Malaysia Flora Fest 2008

Malaysia Flora Fest bursts into a parade of colours this year, celebrating Malaysia’s rich floral heritage in a fabulous display of vibrant blooms and creativity.

Malaysia’s very own Floral Fest was given inspiration through having won many accolades and collected awards over the years at the world renowned Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade in USA.

This year’s theme, “Colours of Harmony” will resonate throughout the month of July with participative events and activities organised at several venues around Malaysia. This floral parade is the first such event to be organised in South East Asia to date and is open to everyone including private and governmental organisations in Malaysia and also international participants.

“Colours of Harmony” symbolises Malaysia’s multi-racial nation living in peace and in unison. Through this message, Malaysia reaches out to the world to join us in painting the palette of unity and harmony.

Event Details

Event Name:
Floral Malaysia Competiton 2008

Duration Date:
21st July - 3rd August 2008

Participation:
Invitations to participate in this competition are divided into two categories:

1. Various hotels in Klang Valley
2. Various shopping complexes in Klang Valley

Theme:
Colours of Harmony

Event Concept

The competition will focus on the use of local flowers, plants and herbs, as well as the use of local products and materials (such as batik, songket, wood carvings, rotan, mengkuang, etc) carrying floral motives.

The idea of this competition is NOT to create new atmosphere that will incur heavy expenditures, but instead participants are encouraged to enhance the atmosphere and ambience of the competition area utilizing either local flowers, plants and herbs or local products and materials (such as batik, songket, wood carvings, rotan, mengkuang etc.) which carry floral motives in line with the competition.

Participants also are welcomed to use recycle materials such as papers, plastics, or any other materials suitable in creating floral motives decorations.

Malaysia National Park and Preserves

It would be difficult to overstate the attraction of Malaysia for anyone who appreciates the natural world. Its primal forests, ranging from shoreline mangrove to mountaintop oak, are of the sort that most of the world now knows only in myth. Although Malaysia's size is similar to that of Norway, natural trees and forests cover almost three quarters of the land, an area equivalent to almost the entire United Kingdom. One can walk for hundreds of miles in Malaysia under a continuous canopy of green, marveling at an abundance of plant and animal species equaled by no other location in the entire world. A single half-kilometer plot of land in Borneo's lowland dipterocarp forest, for example, may well contain more than eight hundred different species of trees alone, a stunning degree of variety that pales, however, in comparison to the profusion and diversity of flowers, birds, ferns, and insects.

This endlessly varied environment also shelters a host of the world's rarest and most remarkable animals: the Sumatran Rhinoceros, the Clouded Leopard and Malaysian Tiger, the Sun Bear, the Monitor Lizard, and the Orang Utan, or "man of the forest," are just a few examples. Malaysia's forests are also home to Southeast Asia's highest peak, as well as to the world's most extensive and capacious natural caverns. The forest itself is one of the most ancient on the planet, far older than the equatorial forests of the Amazon or the Congo. It has for tens of thousands of years been the home of nomadic forest peoples, and ancient civilizations have flourished as well as disappeared in its vastness. Legends abound, and archaeologists have only just begun their efforts here. Equally exciting discoveries are now being made by genetic biologists, who have begun searching the wealth of life in Malaysia's forests for new medicines with which to combat AIDS, cancer, and many other illnesses.

And that is only the forest. Malaysia's offshore islands are of legendary beauty. For millenia, Pulau Langkawi and Pulau Tioman have been sought-after havens of peace from the turbulent outside world, a tradition that is evidenced today by their international status as holiday destinations. Pulau Sipadan, a small oceanic island off the eastern shore of Borneo, rises in a sheer column more than six hundred meters from the seabed. Completely encircled by sheer drop-offs and walls, Sipadan is one of the world's foremost dive sites.

In order to safeguard its precious natural heritage, Malaysia has set aside many areas as parks and wildlife reserves. Together with natural forest management, conservation of wildlife, birds and marine life, nature reserves have been established through a network of protected areas. Almost one and a half million hectares of conservation areas are protected by legislation.

Besides the many splendid sights in Malaysia's National Parks, visitors can enjoy an exhaustive tour of thrills and spills during their visit--boating through swirling rapids or between emerald green islands, stalking big game and fly-fishing for giant carp, bird-watching, mountain climbing, spelunking, swimming in placid river waters, or camping amidst giant tropical trees.


Articel from http://www.geographia.com/malaysia/nationalparks.htm