NATIONAL ZOO REBRANDED TO ATTRACT MORE VISITORS FOR VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2009

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- The National Zoo is undergoing a rebranding
exercise, being carried out in stages, in an effort to make it into one of the
main attractions for tourists in Malaysia, as well as to preserve the country's
heritage.

Malaysian Zoological Association president Ismail Hutson said besides
the rebranding, which is carried out in conjunction with Visit Malaysia year
2009, other programmes would also be carried out to get more visitors to the
zoo.

They also included an exchange programme to be carried out with China,
which would bring its panda bears to the National Zoo, he told reporters after
the launch of the "Zoo Negara Loyalty Card" programme at the National Zoo here
Thursday.

He said the National Zoo was in the process of negotiating with the
management of two national parks in Shanghai, China -- the Shanghai Safari Park
and Ningbo Youngor Zoo -- for an exchange programme involving their panda bears
and Orang Utan, from Malaysia.

Ismail said other measures were also carried out to promote and make the
National Zoo more attractive, like having a new logo for the zoo and publication
of a corporate profile as well as 10,000 pamphlets to provide more information
and activities at the zoo.

The 'Zoo Negara Loyalty Card', launched by Deputy Domestic Trade and
Consumer Affairs Minister Jelaing Mersat, is a membership card offered to
children between three and 12 years old. It is sold for RM20 each (US$5.80).

The membership offers the children free-entry to the zoo for a year on the
condition that they be accompanied by an adult. They also get to enjoy other
benefits, like mystery gifts and invitations to programmes organised by the
National Zoo.
-- BERNAMA