Temporary permits for Langkawi's illegal car-for-hire operators

LANGKAWI, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- The Tourism Ministry has approved 1,500 temporary permits for operators who are running car hire operations without a licence on the island. Kedah Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) chairman Pishol Ishak said the permits were only for operators who are Matta members.

"The temporary permits are to cater to the transportation needs of visitors for the coming Aidilfitri, Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima '09) and the year-end holiday," he said.He hoped that the permit could provide a temporary respite for these operators whose cars were seized by the Road Transport Department for operating without a licence.

-- BERNAMA 7/9/09

LANGKAWI, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) has intensified its tourism promotion by picking London as its new target after the success of its missions to India, the former Soviet republics, Dubai, Indonesia and Singapore.Lada general manager Azman Umar said the agency would participate in the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board's mission to London from Nov 9 to 12.

He said statistics from the Lada tourism unit showed that there were 100,831 tourists from the United Kingdom visiting Langkawi last year while the figure for the first seven months of this year was 53,123 tourists."London was chosen based on the encouraging market there besides Singapore, Thailand and Australia," Azman told Bernama, here on Monday. He said that a second promotion to Singapore would be held from Nov 13 to 15.

The first mission to that republic was made in May. Lada would take part in the International Travel Expo in Vietnam from Oct 1 to 3 to woo tourists from the Asean member nations to visit Langkawi, he said. On the promotions to the former Soviet Union republics namely Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in June, he said they had received good response.

Following the promotions, 10 representatives from travel agencies and the media from the countries concerned would visit Langkawi for five days from Sept 9 to have a better knowledge of the resort island.--

-- BERNAMA 7/9/09

Anaklangkawi :-
Hope that with the issue of 1,500 temporary permits will boust up help settle the dispute between illegal car hire & taxi's. Discuss-lah dont create havoc.