Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The Malaysia branch of indoor edutainment center KidZania has appointed Hong Kong-based travel and services booking platform Klook as its exclusive online travel agent (OTA) partner. This will be KidZania Kuala Lumpur’s very first appointment of an OTA partner.

The parties will be co-investing in initiatives to enhance and refresh visitors’ overall experience at the theme park as well as curate marketing and promotional activities. The collaboration also aims to reignite visitation demand following the country’s lockdown amid COVID-19.

In support of KidZania Kuala Lumpur’s mission to provide interactive and inspirational role-playing experiences for kids, Klook will be developing an interactive experience zone that would encourage kids to explore and be inspired by the journey of building a tech start-up. 

“Malaysians’ purchase behavior have shifted to booking their tickets online, especially with a leading OTA such as Klook, which provides a plethora of options for families looking for fun weekend activities. With this shift, we are confident that our partnership with Klook will result in a better customer experience overall by speeding up the entry process, especially with additional safety measures that we are taking such as temperature checking, ” said Shahrul Nizar Ahmad, Mayor of KidZania Kuala Lumpur.

Commenting on the partnership, Klook General Manager Chuan Sheng Soong for SEA said, “We are honored to be appointed as KidZania Kuala Lumpur’s first exclusive OTA partner, which signifies the trust in Klook’s ability to help drive visitorship to the center as well as enhance guests’ overall experience through Klook’s suite of merchant solutions. Our mission has always been to be an enabler for our merchants to reach new target audiences, increase their digital marketing capabilities and equip them with technology-enabled solutions.”

Meanwhile, Dato’ Dr. Ammar A. Ghapar, tourism Malaysia director of domestic & events division said that the government supports partnerships as such that help boost tourism.

“Tourism Malaysia encourages such strategic partnerships in the tourism industry which is in line with our post-COVID-19 domestic tourism initiative, and will further spur growth for the industry. We are honored to have witnessed this momentous event and look forward to more partnerships of this scale. Tourism Malaysia will lend our support to further promote this partnership via our marketing channels,” said Ghapar.

In celebration of the exclusive partnership, KidZania Kuala Lumpur and Klook will be offering a Buy One Free One promotional offer. The offer will be limited to the first 100 bookings on the Klook website or mobile app, which has already started in 17 September and onwards. 

Singapore – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and travel booking platform Klook have teamed up to launch a S$2 million domestic marketing partnership to drive the rediscovery of Singapore’s tourism and lifestyle offerings. The partnership is under the SingapoRediscovers campaign, and is inked to last seven months-long starting this September.

SingapoRediscovers is a recently launched campaign, spearheaded by agencies Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to support the local lifestyle and tourism business in Singapore and encourage locals to explore different sides of the country. A total of S$45 million has been set aside for the campaign and its supporting marketing initiatives. 

The partnership with Klook will have three focus areas: curated promotions for products and experiences, content development, and digital marketing to boost spend.

Under the partnership, businesses – ranging from hotels and attractions to tour operators and dining establishments – will be encouraged to develop new products and experiences. The aim is to inspire locals and encourage them to explore precincts such as Orchard Road, Chinatown, Civic District, and Katong-Joo Chiat. 

These new products and experiences will also be curated into special bundles with attractive offers to appeal to different interest groups such as foodies, outdoor enthusiasts, and value seekers.  

An example would be pairing a stay at Mandarin Orchard Singapore with an Art Jam session in Orchard Road, or complementing a stay at Hotel Mono in Chinatown with a journey on Trishaw Uncle Guided Tours.

To encourage further exploration around the country, STB and Klook will collaborate on digital marketing efforts, where the parties look to create authentic stories through Klook’s pool of key content partners and opinion leaders. Digital content such as video reviews and livestreams will cast a spotlight on hidden gems and value-for-money promotions, as well as raise the profile of various home-grown businesses around Singapore.

Both parties will also co-invest in other digital marketing initiatives, such as search engine marketing, display, and social media advertising, to widen the reach and searchability of the various promotions and offerings under the campaign.

STB Assistant Chief Executive for Marketing Lynette Pang commented, “Through SingapoRediscovers, we encourage locals to explore Singapore, experience our vibrant tourism and lifestyle offerings, and support home-grown businesses. Klook shares the same aim. We look forward to leveraging their digital marketing capabilities and extensive network of partners to amplify our efforts, as well as encouraging their users to support curated local experiences, quality promotions, and content in the coming months.”

Meanwhile, Marcus Yong, vice president of marketing in Klook for APAC said, “Klook is excited to partner with STB and to be part of SingapoRediscovers. Our mission has always been to empower consumers to experience the best of a destination and through this partnership, we hope to bring back a sense of joy and adventure as locals explore their own backyard.”