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Showing posts with label tourists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tourists. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Lessons from the Japanese for civic-mindedness

 

We can all take a leaf from the way they treat visitors, the environment

Tourists can feel safe walking around Japan

COMPARING countries with different cultural backgrounds may not be fair but my recent trip to Japan had me taking notes.

How the Japanese stand to the left on escalators and follow the directional arrows while walking left an impression.

As a true blue Penangite, I know we are nice people, and going to Japan made me realise how similar we are in that aspect.

One day, I left my umbrella on the midnight train in Osaka and walked off with a friend.

Not only did a passenger ask the train driver to stop, she then jumped off to pass it to me, bowed, gave me a quick smile and hopped back on as I said thank you.

She could have missed her train, which was the last one for the night, but she did what she felt honour-bound to do.

In another instance, a lady running a busy cafe left her work to show my friends and I the way to the subway station.

I told her that she needn’t bring us there but she insisted with a bright smile and ran with us to the destination before bowing and returning to her cafe.

My train card did not work one time and I couldn’t leave the station.

I stepped aside to let others pass, and a group of school students behind me stepped aside too.

I urged them to go ahead but they said “no, we will wait with you”, and proceeded to help me find someone in charge.

Only after my card problem was resolved did they leave the station, while urging me to “take care”.

Not once during my 12-day trip there did I feel like a foreigner alone in a strange land.

I felt safe and at home, except for the language barrier, of course.

Penang, being a tourist hub, has its share of equally heartwarming stories about visitors receiving cordial treatment.

But there is one thing Penangites can learn from the Japanese, and that is cleanliness.

I recalled seeing only three pieces of litter on the ground during my 12 days there.

The roads and pavements were clean, almost like walking in a movie set rather than a real city or town.

Despite there not being many dustbins in open areas, there was no rubbish.

I was told people usually took their rubbish home.

Everyone I saw in eateries cleaned up after themselves, clearing their dishes and wiping down the table.

Their public toilets looked so clean that you felt you could lie down on the floor.

Even if there was only a single washroom shared by 20 small bars, it was clean and had ample toilet paper.

They do have workers cleaning the toilets but I observe the locals play a big part by never wetting the floor and leaving them cleaner than they were before.

I watched the Japanese wipe the counters or dust off crumbs even if they might not have caused it.

It was nice to see people wanting to make the space nice for everyone rather than having the mindset: “I did not cause it; it’s none of my business.”

Safety is another aspect that impressed me as a woman. I could walk around without the slightest fear.

It is safe to walk about in Penang too; you won’t need to peer around every corner, but the public safety in Japan was at another level.

It was nice to return home but I miss the cleanliness and civic-mindedness of the Japanese.

If only there was some way for Penangites to develop such a culture; we will surely reach greater heights.

In the meantime, I will be mindful to clean up after myself and leave a public spot better that it was before I used it.

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Saturday, July 13, 2024

This is Why China is SO Powerful (Not What You Think); Rise of the red rovers

 

How did China become so powerful in just one generation? Some attribute it to adopting a capitalist system, but this isn't the whole story. Others credit China's success to its large population, but India, with a comparable population, didn't achieve similar growth. So what makes China so powerful? Well, this is exactly what we’re going to discover in today’s video...
Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:03 Socialism with Chinese Characteristics 4:07 Visionary of a New China 6:53 China Focuses on Trade and Economy 9:13 Conclusion #chinaeconomy #chinapowerful #chinasuperpower #riseofchina #whychina #chinadevelopment

Rise of the red rovers

Warmest welcome: Manoharan (right) presenting souvenirs to passengers of Qingdao Airlines flight QW9893 at the Qingdao Airlines inaugural flight celebration ceremony. — Bernama  


KUALA LUMPUR: There has been a surge in the number of Chinese travellers coming to Malaysia following the increase of red-eye flights here from their home country, according to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

Red-eye flights are rising in popularity, with officials reporting a 28% increase of such flights arriving at KL International Airport (KLIA) during the first half of the year compared with the same period last year, with flights from China accounting for 74% of them.

A red-eye flight refers to a flight that departs at night and arrives the next morning.

ALSO READ: Six extra direct flights between Penang and China soon 

This increase in nighttime flights is expected to help Malaysia hit its target number of tourists, including five million Chinese visitors.

The 28% increase in flights in the first half of the year translates to an additional 313 flights per month.

“A significant portion of this increase is attributed to flights to and from China, which accounted for 232 extra flights or 74% of the total growth in red-eye flights,” MAHB said.

“The YoY performance for China-specific red-eye flights shows a remarkable increase of 168%, with the number of flights skyrocketing from 138 to 370 per month.

ALSO READ: More Indian tourists flocking to Malaysia after visa waiver

“KLIA also experienced a +20% YoY increase in red-eye departures, with flights to China making up 61% of the additional 171 monthly flights,” it told The Star.

Red-eye flights, characterised by departures after 9pm and arrivals before 5am the following morning, have become pivotal in meeting rising passenger demand and strengthening the airport’s operational capabilities.

MAHB said the considerable increase in red-eye flights, particularly those linked to China, highlights the growing intercontinental travel demand and “reinforces KLIA’s status as a key aviation hub in the region”.

In response to the increasing number of Chinese passengers, KLIA has boosted its efforts to enhance the passenger experience by increasing the number of Mandarin-speaking Airport CARE Ambassadors.

“Currently, KLIA employs 36 Mandarin-speaking ambassadors with nine on duty per shift, a significant improvement from the pre-pandemic period when only four Mandarin-speaking ambassadors were available per shift.

“Our Airport CARE Ambassador team now operates at full capacity 24/7, with a robust force of 280 ambassadors, including Mandarin speakers,” MAHB added.

It said plans are under way to install an additional 10 autogates from the current 10 to improve passenger flow and reduce wait times.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Manoharan Periasamy said red-eye flights have become popular because they allow travellers to have more time at their destination.

The visa-free agreements that Malaysia signed with China and India have made weekend travel more convenient as well, he added.

Manoharan said Tourism Malaysia plans to increase the number of officers at its information desk at the airport to cater to the increase in the number of foreign visitors.

“At least two staff members who can speak English and Mandarin will be at the helpdesk.”

Short-haul flights are those less than three hours in duration, while flights lasting between three and six hours are considered medium-haul flights.

Manoharan said Tourism Malaysia will focus on short-haul and medium-haul countries.

Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association president Mint Leong said red-eye flights are crucial in attracting more Chinese tourists and believes this will significantly contribute to achieving the goal of attracting five million Chinese tourists to Malaysia this year.

“Over 70% of tourists prefer ‘flexible independent travel’ and are likely to choose midnight flights.

“This allows them to save on travel time without needing to take (extra) leave from work and they save on hotel costs,” she said.

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