China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday launched a tourism campaign and a photo exhibition in Malaysia.

 

Macao SAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah, who is currently on a three-day visit to this tropical country, presided over the ceremony at the Malaysia Tourism Center Wednesday evening here.

 

Ho gave the finishing touches to the eyes of those dance lions at the launching ceremony, along with Malaysian Deputy Tourism Minister Donald Lim Siang Chai and other officials from China and Malaysia.

 

This year, Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has decided to employ "Experience Macao!" as the promotional theme for a series of promotions in all markets around the world to "highlight both our heritage as well as the new developments that are shaping Macao's tourism products offering into the future," said MGTO Director Manuel Costa Antunes.

 

The "Experience Macao!" Media Campaign features 30 decorated buses, which will run through the city of Kuala Lumpur in five different routes for one month to spread the image of Macao to Malaysian citizens, Antunes said at the ceremony.

 

Meanwhile, the "Macao World Heritage Photo Exhibition", which will showcase Macao's unique cultural heritage, will last for a month at the tourism Center.

 

Malaysia became the 5th largest tourist source market for Macao SAR last year, said Antunes.

 

Over 200,000 Malaysian visitors came to Macao in year 2006, a remarkable grow of 106 percent over the previous year, he added.

 

Ho arrived in Malaysia Tuesday on his seven-day Southeast Asia tour, which will also bring him to Singapore.

 

(Beijing Today April 12, 2007)