During the latest Batik Rendezvous, an event held recently by the Malaysian Craft Council, the idea of #MalaysianInBatik movement was presented to the attending guests. The movement will be supported by education and awareness programmes to encourage wearing batik in everyday's life and promote love and pride in Malaysian batik.
The idea was partly prompted by travellers' reports on TripAdvisor where they place cultural experiences high on their lists of interests. Almost half of the travellers to Malaysia mentioned that they bought local products with batik being the most popular item of this kind. But what is special about batik is that it is not just a piece of cloth with a coloured pattern. It is a process and it is also a part of Malaysian national and cultural heritage.
The Malaysian government will be the first to set the example. The Parliament has already designated Thursdays as national batik days for their sittings.
Frontliners in Malasian Tourism Industry Encouraged to Wear Batik
News in Asia
A deputy minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia has recently supported the idea of Malaysian tourism industry specialists like tour guides, hotel personnel, restaurant staff and airline crew wearing Malaysian batik while greeting and serving tourists.