KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 – The organiser of PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2024 (LTdL), the National Sports Council (NSC) is proud to announce Tourism Malaysia will continue its Strategic Partnership and becomes the rights holder of the King of the Mountain Polka Dot Jersey for this year’s 28th edition of the race.
NSC Director General, Abdul Rashid Yaakub, stated that Tourism Malaysia’s decision to continue this Strategic Partnership clearly proves that it was the right decision, as this partnership has provided significant returns in promotional value, branding, and marketing for Tourism Malaysia.
“Tourism Malaysia will once again be honoured as the sponsor of the ‘King Of The Mountain’ jersey, with their representative presenting the winner’s jersey at each stage of the race,” said Abdul Rashid during the official announcement at the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil today. Also present was the Deputy Director General (Planning) of Tourism Malaysia, Saidi Bundan.
Abdul Rashid also commented that the King of the Mountain category remains a very unique and popular jersey in all major world races such as the Tour de France.
It is unique not only because of the absolute strength required to conquer the highest climbs but also due to the rider’s strategic decision making in seizing opportunities, breaking away from the peloton to score points in smaller climbing zones in addition to the main climbs.
This was evident in 2023 when rider Simon Pellaud from the Tudor team won the Tourism Malaysia polka dot jersey, despite losing to overall champion Simon Carr from EF Education in the main climb at Genting Highlands.
This year’s challenge will focus on Cameron Highlands, and Simon Pellaud from the Tudor team will defend his title.
He added that KBS and NSC will continue their partnership through live broadcasts on the world’s leading cycling sports broadcaster, Eurosport, which is watched by hundreds of millions of fans, as well as on local television and social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, offering significant returns on the sponsorship provided.
He also mentioned that the viral effect from the village and school cheerleading programs during the cavalcade procession published on TikTok in 2023 will continue and is expected to bring the “Cuti-Cuti Malaysia” brand closer to the hearts of Malaysians, encouraging them to choose local vacation destinations.
Meanwhile, Saidi said, the decision to collaborate with Petronas LTdL 2023 last season was an excellent move and explained why the Strategic Partnership between both parties continues into 2024.
“The decision to establish this partnership was based on a comprehensive return on investment (ROI) package, especially the opportunity to promote ‘Malaysia Truly Asia’ brand globally. This not only includes various cultural attractions, locations, and tourism centers but also presents Malaysia as a prosperous, advanced, and progressive country, helping the government attract international investment and trade.”
“We also appreciate the honour given by the organiser as a Strategic Partner with the rights to the Polka dot Jersey because this King of the Mountain jersey is very popular in any major race worldwide.”
He added that, in addition to this Strategic Partnership, Tourism Malaysia will also bring well-known influencers from Indonesia and Thailand to promote LTdL more creatively and extensively in these neighboring countries.
Tourism Malaysia will also be collaborating with six travel agencies to offer 23 special travel packages in conjunction with LTdL 2024. These packages cover popular destinations such as Langkawi, Penang, Melaka, Bukit Tinggi, Cameron Highlands, Kulai, Bintulu, and Miri. Throughout these packages, tourists will not only enjoy beautiful vacation in attractive locations but also have the opportunity to witness the prestigious LTdL race that travels across the country.
A total of 22 teams, including three WorldTeam, seven ProTeam, nine Continental teams, and three national teams including Malaysia, will compete.
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