Russia-Malaysia flights set to rise

The first non-stop flights from Russia to Malaysia will ascend this 17 December, and is set to smoothing the "job" for the arrival of more Russian tourists to the country.

Fifteen charter flights, with a loading capacity of each, 147 passengers will depart from Russia from Vladivostok to Malaysia from Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi, with a transit in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport more than three months.

The flights are expected to take in 2,205 tourists to Malaysia within this term.

The series of charter flights is the product of a collaboration between Vladivostok airlines and Malaysian tour Agency tourism holiday Resources Sdn Bhd

While witnessing the signing of the agreement between the two parties, described Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen. the initiative as "timely", because there is currently no direct flights from every city in Russia in the country.

"This will not only in more tourists from Russia, but also the friendly ties between our two countries will strengthen," she said.

She said that Vladivostok was the best place to start of direct flights between Russia and Malaysia such as the East-Russian city just six and a half hours from Kota Kinabalu, and eight hours and forty minutes of Langkawi was by air.

' This is an unexplored route and I see a lot of the potential of this partnership, "she said.

The first flight from Vladivostok to Malaysia on 17 December in Kota Kinabalu International Airport arrives, and the last flight will be from the same airport on 26 March.

Tourism holiday resources President Sheikh Abdul Khalid said Ghazzali's example that the partnership with Vladivostok Airlines will also look arranging travel for Malaysians who want to visit Vladivostok, in the near future.

Later, while the Islamic fashion Festival (IFF) 2012 at the JW Marriott hotel here, the Minister said that the worship that the annual festival helped Malaysia on the map as an international luxury holiday and shopping destination.

"The IFF is an excellent platform to showcase Malaysia to the rest of the world as an Islamic fashion capital having transcended borders and visited a number of local major cities around the world such as Abu Dhabi, Astana, Bandung, Dubai, New York and Monte Carlo," she said in her speech at the event that was theme "Hakuna Matata", which featured mostly animal-print designs.

The festival organized by the Association of Islamic clothing entrepreneurs and designers showcases ensembles by local and international designers who conform to the Islamic way of dressing.