Melaka oscillating between real and fantasy

MELAKA- Visitors taking a boat along the Malacca River will get a perfect idea about the way the local government has been turned the little historical city into a world-class tourism attraction. While loudspeakers of each touring boat explain to tourists how all those developments -from the river cleaning to beautification projects- occurred thanks to the benevolent clairvoyance of Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ali Bin Mohd Rustam, the cruise passes in front of a half-finished monorail, old buildings covered by colourful frescoes, new pedestrian bridges evocating Venice Bridge of Sighs and a brand new Hard Rock Café opened in “Jonker Street”, a popular thoroughfare in the old town.

Melaka wants to become one of Malaysia’s top tourist destinations. Since its nomination as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO back to 2008, both the federal and regional governments did not spare their effort to add attractions year after year. Old buildings have been renovated and spruced up, new attractions added almost every year, while hotels and shopping malls are now spreading all across the city. It might sometimes look a little bit to artificial –emulating in some aspects a Disneyland theme park- but tourists obviously love it.

According to the Melaka Director of Tourism Malaysia, Jeffri Bin Munir, the city now attracts every year over 13 million of visitors, both domestic and international. “Our tagline is to say that “Visit Historic Melaka is in fact ‘Visiting Malaysia’ as this city concentrates all the characters of our multicultural society”, he explains.

“The government’s objective is to develop and enhance the tourism industry to turn it to a major contributor to economic growth and job opportunities for Melaka”, explained Mr. Bin Munir. While Melaka is estimated to have received 13.7 million travellers in 2012, foreign arrivals reached last year 3.5 million, up by almost 13.5%. By total hotel guests, Melaka is now the sixth most popular destination in Malaysia with over three million of guests staying in hotels.

The old town remains obviously Melaka’s main asset for history lovers. All over Saint Paul Hill, heritage buildings are an architectural testimonial to the former presence of the Portuguese, Dutch and then English. Most of the buildings have been lovely restored over the last five years and have now been turned into museums. Facing St Paul Hill is the old town itself, mostly populated by Chinese with its myriad of crowded streets bordered by colourful shop-houses in Sino-Malay style, old mosques and temples.

Melaka is also strongly positioned in cultural tourism with many festivals and activities related to its communities- especially Malaysia’s last ethnic groups of Eurasians, mixed between Malay and Portuguese. The city also emphasizes the Baba/Nonya heritage (or Peranakan), a cultural blend between Malay and Chinese as well as Melaka Chitty (Straits-born Hindus) communities.
Authorities however feared that culture and heritage would not be enough to attract repeat visitors and increase the average length of stay. “ Our average stay has increased over the last five years from 1.88 overnights in 2008 to 2.25 in 2012. We now target an average of three overnights per visitor. We consequently identified 12 sub-sectors for tourism, reaching from conventions to agro-tourism, from heritage to medical tourism”, adds Jeffri Bin Munir.

But they also have multiplied attractions under the motto “Remaining fresh”… A revolving tower in the midst of the city centre give to tourists now a bird view into the city but in some ways also destroyed the city centre’s skyline. The city recently opened a “Golf Gallery”, a Jonker Bird House and a Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum. Next to come is Melaka Bird Aviary. The project is estimated to cost US$ 11 million (RM 30 million) and is expected to attract some 500,000 visitors.

But Melaka government’s ambitions do not seem to stop only at enticing visitors to admire birds. There is a gigantic project of theme park “Malacca Sea World”, expected to represent an investment of US$ 100 million. Set to be built on an area spanning 60 ha, the theme park would have a gigantic aquarium that would house marine wildlife such as whales and dolphins.
Visiting the future site in Klebang -a reclaimed coastal area across the town- Melaka Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam highlighted that Malacca Sea World theme park would emulate Sea World in Orlando, Florida. The park is set to be ready within three years.

There is even more to come with dinosaurs invading the once quaint city! Malacca Jurassic Park, a US$ 60 million attraction would take visitors through 200 mock-ups of the giant reptiles back to approximately 230 million years ago. The theme park would be the first of its kind in Asia.

Another mega project is Arab City@Pulau Melaka with the idea of luring Middle East travellers by offering them a replica of an Arabic city in the midst of the Malacca Strait! Arab investors have teamed up with Malaysia-based Golden Corporate Heritage Sdn Bhd to develop the 1.7 hectare island which will house Arab-themed restaurants and cafés, an Egyptian Antiquities museum –the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, an Arab bazaar and shops as well as a health and beauty spa for men and women. Private villas would also be available in a second development phase. Initial investments to the project are estimated at over US$ 150 million.

The project due to open last year has been delayed and will probably open this year. It did not generate an unconditional support from the local population which seems increasingly unsecured about the perspective to see their own culture and lifestyle diluted into a world of dreams made of papier-mâché and concrete. It is probably the price that Melaka has to pay to be anchored on the tourism world stage.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews