(MY) Malacca zoo

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Sunday August 14, 2005 - The Star

 

 

Malacca Zoo Night Safari sees red

 

MALACCA: The Malacca Zoo night safari is running at a loss and expensive cab

fares have been cited as one reason for the low number of visitors.

 

Only 40,000 people visited the year old night zoo, which fell short of the

zoo’s estimation of 90,000.

 

Mohd Nawayai Yasak, the zoo director said “a tourist complained to me that

he was charged RM40 in cab fare from his hotel to the night zoo.”

 

“To overcome this problem, the zoo is in its final stages of arranging for a

shuttle service with the Malacca State Council to ferry tourists from hotels

to the night zoo for a reasonable fee,” he said.

 

Another reason for the low number of visitors to the night zoo is the poor

promotion campaign towards the main target audience, foreign tourists and

weekend tourists from other states.

 

The loss contributed to the Malacca Zoo’s operating deficit of RM2mil last

year. Last year’s expenditure was RM5mil while income was RM3mil.

 

“We would like to be making money, but we do have to consider our social

commitments,” said Mohd Nawayai.

 

Although the zoo was still in the red, its annual income had increased by

half a million from RM2.5mil in 2003. The number of visitors has also

increased by 10% this year.

 

Also in an unexpected windfall this year, the annual animal sponsorship

programme managed to rake in over RM228,000 from the public, an increase of

over 100% from last year.

 

In a bid to attract more visitors to the zoo, the Malacca Zoo is offering to

sell both night and day zoo tickets at half price to tour groups and the

Malacca Hotel Association (MAHA). These groups can then sell these tickets

for a commission.

 

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