Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, can be utilised to promote tourism activities as it is not only a news agency but has spawned into a radio station, website and news channel on Astro, Deputy Tourism Minister Donald Lim Siang Chai said today.

He said cooperation with Bernama should not be confined to domestic promotion as tourism news by the agency could help attract foreign tourists.

"It can assist tourism promotion undertaken by the 43 Tourism Malaysia offices worldwide.

"In this way, the potential to bring more tourists to Malaysia will be enhanced compared with the usual promotions via the tourism offices," he said when launching the "Kembara Bernama Tourism Malaysia 2007" (Bernama Tourism Malaysia Treasure Hunt) at Wisma Bernama here.

Tourism news

He hoped that Bernama's radio station Radio24 would assist the ministry in channeling news on tourism to encourage such activities.

On the treasure hunt, he said it could help promote domestic destinations to the public, thus supporting government efforts to diversify tourism activities.

Lim flagged off 87 cars with 368 participants in the treasure hunt organised by the Bernama Employees Club in collaboration with cooperation with Tourism Malaysia.

The 346 km expedition from Kuala Lumpur to Kijal, Terengganu, offers an array of attractive prizes to winners including a total cash prize of RM15,000. - Bernama