04/04/2025

FRIDAY | APR 4, 2025

23

LYFE

Monopoly boost for Visit Malaysia 2026 T OURISM Malaysia is collaborating with Winning Moves to produce Monopoly: Kuala Lumpur Edition board game. o Iconic board game gets KL edition Malaysia’s iconic attractions that showcase a unique way for tourists to connect with the country’s rich heritage by focusing on the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

diverse landscapes, lively culture and dynamic communities but also motivates more visitors to explore the city. By promoting Kuala Lumpur through this collaboration, this is seen as a significant step forward in achieving the goals of VM2026. Winning Moves partnerships manager Jennifer Lau emphasised that the Kuala Lumpur edition will not only be highlighting the city’s landmarks but also celebrates its unique identity and vibrant energy. “We are working with local stakeholders to make this edition a true reflection of the city,” she said.

“We are partnering Monopoly to bring a piece of Kuala Lumpur to life through this interactive board game. Hence, this collaboration allows us to reach a wider audience and inspire future travellers by sharing the beauty and adventure of Kuala Lumpur in a completely new way,” Tourism Malaysia director general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy said. This initiative not only ignites curiosity about Kuala Lumpur’s

The Monopoly: Kuala Lumpur Edition is set to release at the end of 2025 in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. The launch of these special edition boards will feature

Monopoly: Kuala Lumpur Edition is set to release year-end.

About 70% of travellers miss sakura bloom SPRING is the season of fleeting beauty and new beginnings where travellers chase the magic of cherry blossoms (also known as sakura), but for seven in 10 travellers from Malaysia, the dream of witnessing sakura in full bloom turns into disappointment, according to a survey by Klook. Despite planning their trips around the forecasts, the increase compared with previous years and emerged as a top destination for 2025, just slightly behind Japan. Interestingly, more than half of spring travellers from Malaysia (57%) are unaware that Mainland China boasts its own season of cherry blossom. Cherry blossom struggle Sakura season is upon us! As visitors flock to Japan to see mesmerising cherry blossoms, did you know there are plenty of other beautiful blooms found in Japan all year round? This infographic (right)

highlights the peak flowering periods in Japan, from cherry blossoms, peonies and wisterias to lavender fields. It provides a quick and accessible guide for nature lovers, travellers and those planning their seasonal visits to Japan. desire for fleeting experiences is top of the travellers’ list. The survey indicated a 33% increase in spring bookings to North Asia in March 2025, making it one of the most popular seasons to visit. One in three travellers from Malaysia (35%) are also willing to spend at least 20% more on cherry blossom experiences compared with other activities.

Even with forecasts, cherry blossoms have only a 10-day viewing window, compounded by the recent temperature fluctuations. Japan saw unusual weather patterns, including warmer summers and delayed winters in 2024. This caused Japan’s sakura to bloom 15 days later and Mount Fuji was snowless in November, a first in 130 years. Therefore, travellers this year are planning with uncertainty. Top challenges when planning a cherry blossom trip: 0 Predicting the bloom timing 0 Finding best spots for bloom 0 Crowded locations Despite these challenges, the

unpredictable shifting weather can affect bloom conditions, which means many arrive too early or too late. But, the charm of cherry blossoms is evident, with nine in 10 travellers planning to catch them this year. Japan remains on top Japan remains as the ultimate destination for cherry blossoms this year, favoured by 78% of travellers. However, the influencing powers of social media have inspired 68% to consider other destinations for their next cherry blossom trip – such as South Korea, Taiwan and Mainland China. Mainland China saw a seven-fold

This schedule will help visitors plan their visit to coincide with booking season across Japan. Tourist, locals marvel at Tokyo’s cherry blossom trees

said climate change and the urban heat island effect are causing sakura to flower approximately 1.2 days earlier every 10 years. “Seeing photos is another thing, but being here, (to) really see the sakura (with) your eyes. It is really amazing,” said Hongkonger Ralf Ng. A weak yen is attracting more visitors than ever to Japan, with national tourism figures released in January showing a record of about 36.8 million arrivals last year. Tokyo resident Kayoko Yoshihara, 69, organises annual flower-viewing picnics with her friends, including one held last week as the sakura trees began to bloom. “After enduring the cold winter, the sakura bloom makes you feel like you are motivated to head towards summer,” she said. Nurse Nanami Kobayashi, 31, said the peak of the blossom season left her without words. “When the trees are at full bloom, it is so beautiful that you just become speechless,” she said. – AFP

TOURISTS and Japanese locals marvelled at Tokyo’s cherry blossom trees earlier this week at the peak of the annual spring season that traditionally represents fresh starts but also life’s fleeting impermanence. Crowds flocked to the city’s top locations to take photos and hold picnics under the flowering dark branches bursting with pink and white sakuras. “Honestly it feels pretty amazing to be here. It is better than we expected. And it only comes around every once in a while and only for a short span of time. “It is an ephemeral experience and we are pretty happy that we got to be here and to witness it in full bloom too,” Filipino tourist Christian Sioting said. The Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) on Sunday declared the country’s most common and popular somei yoshino variety of cherry blossom tree in full bloom. Although this year’s blooming dates are around the average, the JMA

Crowds flock to the city’s top locations to take photos and hold picnics under Tokyo’s cherry trees. – AFPPIC