NEW AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PERSONALITY, ORGANISATION IN TOURISM

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The Prime Minister's Special Award is being
introduced as a new award to honour an outstanding individual or organisation
identified for having contributed significantly to the country's tourism
industry.

The award, along with 12 other tourism-related awards, will be given away at
the Malaysia Tourism Awards 2008/2009 gala dinner at the Putrajaya International
Convention Centre (PICC) on Saturday.

Prime Minister Najib Razak is scheduled to attend the event.

Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen told a news conference Tuesday the special
award was "for the most outstanding product, person or whatever" identified to
have done the most for the Malaysian tourism industry.

She said the prestigious Malaysia Tourism Awards, introduced in 1987, were a
tribute to those who have excelled and supported the development of tourism in
Malaysia and served as an incentive for participants to strive for the highest
level of professionalism in both service and product quality.

Besides the new Prime Minister's Special Award, the other awards are Best
Tour Operator, Best Hotel Service, Best Tour Programme, Best Tour Guide, Best
Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) venue, Creative Tourism
Article on Malaysia.

Innovative Foreign Tour Operator, Innovative Tourism Magazine, Innovative
Restaurant, Innovative Shopping Outlet, Innovative Homestay and Innovative
Tourist Attraction.
-- BERNAMA