MELAKA: The Melaka government, in collaboration with the Melaka Tourism Association (MTA), has introduced Teh Tarik Gula Melaka as a tourism product in conjunction with Visit Melaka Year 2024 (TMM 2024), making it the state’s signature beverage.
State Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee deputy chairman Datuk Zaidi Attan said the new product under the food tourism sub-sector is being gradually promoted at hotel and restaurant chains under MTA.
“Gula Melaka (palm sugar) is very significant for Melaka ... many food products or culinary sectors use Gula Melaka as a base ingredient, such as cendol, Gula Melaka cakes or onde-onde, keria cakes and putu mayam.
“So, we have taken the initiative to introduce the new product Teh Tarik Gula Melaka, which is unavailable elsewhere. Initially, this drink can be found at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Bayou Lagoon Park Resort,“ he told reporters here last night.
He said this after the 41st MTA annual general meeting dinner, which was also attended by Melaka Tourism Promotion Division (BPP) general manager Sa’ari Basiro and MTA president Madelina WL Kuah.
Zaidi said several other new tourism products under various tourism sub-sectors will also be introduced throughout TMM 2024, thus providing more choices for tourists ahead of the World Tourism Conference 2025.
He said the state government will continue collaborating with MTA in organising tourism programmes and activities involving tourism industry players from various sectors to ensure the target of 18.7 million tourist arrivals throughout TMM 2024 is achieved.
“I have been told that under MTA, there are 65 members among hotel chains, restaurants, private hospitals, travel agents and recreational centres who are seriously working to ensure TMM 2024 is successfully implemented and achieves higher standards in various aspects ahead of the World Tourism Conference 2025,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Kuah said there are 14 tourism sub-sectors in Melaka, and at least one major programme under each sub-sector is organised by MTA in collaboration with BPP Melaka to attract tourists to the state.
She said, for example, under the health tourism sub-sector, four private hospitals in the state promote new products such as the use of artificial intelligence in the health services offered.
“Besides that, we also have other sub-sectors such as history, arts and culture, and all MTA members are involved in promoting them through the tourism programmes and activities organised,“ she said.
