MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday May 10, 2011 WHY KUALA LUMPUR SHOULD BE TOP OF YOUR SHOPPING WISHLIST Plus tops tips for a KL trip to remember from Jimmy Choo himself! The opportunity to incorporate a good dose of retail therapy is often a prerequisite for a happy holiday. The savviest of shoppers, however, are taking this one step further and planning trips to coincide with major international retail events, according to leading travel and lifestyle website www.lastminute.com.au. Malaysia‟s Mega Sales Carnival, featuring lust worthy brands such as Gucci, Armani and Fendi, appears to be leading the way. To be held this year from June 5 to August 31, the sales are expected 1 to be a big hit with Aussies with recent research revealing Australians were the biggest spenders at last year‟s event, forking out a total of $US27,337,600, an increase of 91% compared to 2009. From laksa to Lanvin, TopShop to temples, Malaysia‟s buzzing multicultural metropolis really does have it all. According to Shahrin Mokthar, director of Tourism Malaysia in Australia, the Mega Sale Carnival, is the ultimate shopping experience for any fashionista. “The Mega Sale Carnival is the granddaddy of all sales and the best time for the committed shopper to head to Malaysia – and apparently they are! This nation-stopping shopping event is an opportunity to take full advantage of department stores outdoing each other's price cuts and offering shoppers ridiculously generous gifts with every purchase,” said Mokthar. One of Malaysia‟s most well known and successful exports (and favourite of Sex and the City‟s Carrie Bradshaw, no less) is fashion extraordinaire Jimmy Choo who has provided his top tips for a KL trip to remember. 1. Pampering galore: After a day of sightseeing, you deserve some pampering – Kuala Lumpur‟s fish spas are an ... unusual way to give your feet some much needed attention. It‟s very tickly but VERY effective. 2. Shoe shopping: Everyone asks where to get Kuala Lumpur‟s best shoes and of course, I‟m a little biased. I recommend the Jimmy Choo store in Suria KLCC at the base of the Petronas Towers. Fion Poon in Central Market is also a fab spot for something a little less pricey. 1 MasterCard Worldwide research 1 3. Cooking is the new black so if you want to wow your friends at home you can‟t beat a Malaysian cooking class at Bayan Indah cooking school – it‟s an unforgettable and very worthwhile experience. 4. A meal to impress: For a night to remember, I take guests to Le Yen at Ritz Carlton, which is hands down one of Kuala Lumpur‟s most stylish and unique restaurants. You must start with a drink in the Ritz‟s cosy lounge bar. 5. If you’re feeling thirsty: Another watering hole with wow factor is Luna Bar, an ultra chic roof-top bar with an illuminated pool in the centre. You can‟t beat the views of the city at night... just gorgeous. According to lastminute.com.au spokesperson, Kirsty Harrison, the strength of the Australian dollar is likely to see more people jetting off to short-haul destinations such as Malaysia more frequently. “Our strong dollar is certainly making destinations like Malaysia very appealing and accessible for Australian travellers. “The increased bang for your travel buck gives people greater opportunity to make overseas holidays a more frequent occurrence. Let‟s face it, saving money on flights and accommodation provides extra cash to put towards your shopping budget and that is always welcome news,” said Harrison. Win win win! To celebrate the upcoming Mega Sale Carnival, lastminute.com.au has teamed up with Tourism Malaysia to give away a trip to incredible KL. The lucky winner and their guest will not only receive a holiday to brag about, but also have drinks with one of Malaysia’s most famous exports, Mr Jimmy Choo himself. For more details visit: www.meetjimmychooinkl.com.au -endsNOTE: For more information or an interview please get in touch! Nicole Gentle Public Relations Executive live every lastminute.com.au phone: 02 8016 4131 or 0421 848 428 email: nicole@lastminute.com.au ABOUT LASTMINUTE.COM.AU lastminute.com.au is Australia‟s leading travel and lifestyle website. From hotels to holidays, flights to facials, and cooking classes to car hire, lastminute.com.au is here to help Aussies put the living back into life! Offering fabulous deals for those with champagne taste on a beer budget, lastminute.com.au is proudly responsible for launching the Secret Hotels® concept in Australia. lastminute.com.au boasts a loyal community of over 5900 facebook „fans‟ (facebook.com.au/lastminute.com.au) and over 3700 twitter „followers‟ (twitter.com/lastminute_au) who thrive on living every lastminute.com.au. ABOUT TOURISM MALAYSIA IN AUSTRALIA Tourism Malaysia is the official government tourist board for Malaysia responsible for positively promoting Malaysia to the Australian market as a quality travel destination. 580,695 Australians travelled to Malaysia during 2010. www.tourismmalaysia.com.au www.tourism.gov.my www.facebook.com/tourismmalaysiaaustralia 2