Melaka’s Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh (in the middle) with VIPs at the entrance of Malaysia Heritage Studios
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A Fresh Wave of Heritage & Culture Now Unveiled in an Immersive & Magical Experience at Malaysia Heritage Studios
Taman Mini Malaysia now emerges with a fresh perspective as Malaysia Heritage Studios (MHS).
Taman Mini Malaysia now emerges with a fresh perspective as Malaysia Heritage Studios (MHS).
AYER KEROH, February 5, 2024 – Carrying a new official slogan “Selamat Ha-Hari Raya di Kampung Kita,” Taman Mini Malaysia now emerges with a fresh perspective as Malaysia Heritage Studios (MHS), completely rebuilt and upgraded to become a premier tourist destination in the historical city of Melaka. The official grand opening also seamlessly aligns with the Visit Melaka 2024 campaign, anticipated to boost the local tourism economy.
Taman Mini Malaysia was formerly established as a typical tourist destination, featuring only traditional houses from all states in Malaysia. Nonetheless, the outdated concept has been entirely revamped, making the tourism experience more immersive and magical for visitors seeking maximum satisfaction.
“Tourist experiences are the foundation, acting as the determining factor that will influence the direction of any tourism products, especially theme parks. This time, the latest transformation has brought all traditional houses back to life once again with a more immersive and interactive experience through the use of cutting-edge technology to complement experience while visiting here. For instance, Rumah Perlis which specialises in showcasing traditional attires of each ethnic group in the country. To entirely appreciate the elegance of these clothes, one must activate a button by rotating it to see the full attire displayed by the moving mannequins, accompanied by background music,” said the President and Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Heritage Studios, Datuk Yong Lam Woei.
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The new look of MHS is further enhanced with a new attraction inside containing educational elements called Immortal Maze. Made in the form of intricate network of passages, visitors stepping in this game are required solve bewildering riddles before capturing sight of mythical creatures, such as Naga Seri Gumum, Jentayu and Garuda, Kuda Semberani, Sang Kelembai, Gajah Mina, and Mawas. All these characters are well equipped with hidden stories and moral values fostered through their narratives.
Unique as they stand, all these mythical creatures are showcased in the shape of animatronics with sensors to activate their simulated motions. The combination of technology in heritage culturalisation is perceived as the benchmark of ultimate progress in the field of education which is now more advanced.
Turning over a new leaf today, MHS anticipates attracting a huge pool of crowd over 300,000 visitors from diverse backgrounds, including international visitors who will get to feel the joy visiting MHS this year. “With solid support from the state government of Melaka, I firmly believe visitors sightseeing will be enthralled with our national heritage and cultures that are rich in nature. This indirectly makes MHS a must-go tourist destination emphasising educational elements, especially for students and our little heroes who will take over to preserve these heritage values in the future.
“I can attest to the investment values of up to RM20 million in the development of MHS whereby the results earned are in terms of its timeless heritage value. As the mainstream trends progress, we, as a company, also strive to keep up to date in the industry, and our efforts will always be at the forefront. Hence, as a major player in the tourism industry, it is our commitment to make investments that match the greatness of technology,” explained Datuk Yong.
Redefining Tourism
As aligned with the Visit Melaka 2024 campaign, MHS’s refreshed focus is now leaning towards educational tourism aimed at building a culturally aware and heritage-conscious community. Inherently, the tourism sector is flexible by quality as it can be merged with other existing industries. As a tourist destination, MHS is the ideal platform to inject educational elements to enrich the overall experience of visitors.
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“I can proudly characterise MHS as a tourist ‘learning hub’, destination that is knowledge-friendly for its density of educational information which enables it to be a hub for learning outside classrooms setting. While we can agree that formal education is unquestionably essential, informal learning outside classrooms must also be fostered so that we are always equipped with knowledge, especially about heritage and culture that is seen to be slowly fading with time. In general, we can put MHS in a position where it is a centre of learning and culturalisation of heritage.
“Additionally, our commitment to MHS has also earned us The Excellence Award Winner 2023: Best New Attraction (Malaysia) by Tripzilla. This shows the results of our hard work as a local industry player tirelessly enhancing the quality of local tourist destinations,” said Datuk Yong regarding the company’s commitment.
Fuelling the local tourism economy further, MHS is concurrently in the effort of refining the company’s empowerment by upskilling all employees towards creating a pool of talents that are well-trained and more knowledgeable about Malaysia’s cultures and heritage.
“One of the key responsibilities is to coach all MHS employees as we envision to produce quality and tourism personas that are armed with full perspectives about heritage and culture. I am certain that to remain relevant in the tourism sector involving educational elements, the beginning is from within. In fact, employee’s marketability is one of the biggest investments in the tourism economy as it will indirectly help uplift a competitive ecosystem,” he said.
Holistically, MHS is not only a tourist destination but promises an overall experience rich in knowledge about the country’s culture and heritage, and it needs to be well-administered, whether through government initiatives or industry players.
