The Bukit Bintang-KLCC (BBKLCC) Tourism Association was established to focus on designating the area as KL’s most vibrant shopping district. The target of the association are to increase tourist arrivals by 10 per cent annually and also to boost retail sales per square feet from RM950 to RM1,100 by the year 2012, which is an estimated 15 per cent growth each year. BBKLCC is Kuala Lumpur’s most pro
minent retail belt that is home to the city’s landmark shopping centres, fashion retailers, restaurants and al-fresco cafés, international hotels and hip entertainment venues.
“As BBKLCC is the heart of Malaysia’s retail tourism sector, the BBKLCC Tourism Association aims to put the retail belt on the world map through memorable shopping experiences, one-of-a-kind events, dynamic activities and engaging promotions for both tourists and locals as a means to promote shopping tourism,” said BBKLCC Tourism Association chairman Joyce Yap.
“It is paramount that shopping malls, hotels and in future all the restaurants, retail shops and even office building owners in the area to work together to create a cohesive calendar of events to promote as a collective to international tourist markets, and for the BBKLCC Tourism Association to work closely with the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia to package and promote relevant and exciting tourism products to the world,” Yap added. Under the Tenth Malaysia Plan, one of the 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs), which is a potential driver of economic activity that can contribute significantly to Malaysia’s economic growth, is the Tourism sector. As identified by the Economic Transformation Program (ETP), an initiative by the Federal Government to turn Malaysia into a high income economy by the year 2020, the Tourism sector continues to grow; in 2010 the sector generated revenue of RM56.5 billion with 24.6 million tourist arrivals. A key objective of the BBKLCC Tourism Association is to establish Malaysia as a World Shopping Paradise, particularly the BBKLCC area, through concerted efforts of participating malls, hotels, retailers and F&B operators. The association’s strategy to achieve this is by organising top quality events and attractions as well as by addressing the infrastructure and facility enhancements in the area with authorities. The Bukit Bintang-KLCC Tourism Association was established in September 2011 to promote the area as Kuala Lumpur’s most vibrant shopping district. The association’s members comprise private sector individuals in the shopping and hotel industries, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), an agency under the Prime Minister’s Office as advisors to the Association. With its variety of shopping, dining and hotel choices, BBKLCC is the city’s definitive tourist destination, blending the best of Malaysian culture and heritage as well as the city’s visionary modernism. Iconic tourist attractions flanking the BBKLCC district include Aquaria KLCC, Pavilion Crystal Fountain, Petronas Twin Towers. Jalan Bukit Bintang is currently home to the world’s first 360-degree projection dome, which has been the venue of some of the best events worldwide. Situated in between Pavilion KL and Grand Millennium Hotel, the dome spans 7,000 square feet and is the city’s newest, hippest event venue where the Malaysia Year-End Sale (MYES) 2011 was launched by the Minister of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. Current association members consist of the city’s major shopping malls, restaurants and hotels located in BBKLCC, including BB Plaza, Berjaya Times Square, fahrenheit88, Federal Hotel KL, Lot 10, Piccolo Mondo, Plaza Low Yat, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Sungei Wang Plaza, Suria KLCC and Starhill Gallery.
