Malaysian Visit 2020: Criticism Of Tourism Campaign Logo

JAKARTA - No one doubts Malaysia's abundant tourism potential. This narrative makes the Ministry of Tourism want to increase prestige by formulating the latest tourism logo for 2020. Tourism elements such as the beauty of panorama and tropical animals bekantan, orangutans, turtles -- are displayed.

Instead of getting a big welcome, the logo titled Visit Malaysia 2020 justru floods. The tourism logo, which is equipped with the slogan "Travel. Enjoy.Respect", is called bad, ugly, up to cheap.

A logo can strengthen the positive image of the country is common knowledge. That power makes the presence of the logo important. This is because serious designed logos can attract many things, from tourists, investment, to international partnerships.

Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz was attracted by the strength of a logo. Malaysian Tourism Minister from the 2013-2018 era wants his staff to make a famous Malaysian tourism logo for 2020. Nazri wants all Malaysian favorite tourism elements to be presented.

Nazri believes the results will be commensurate with the idea of massive Malaysian tourism promotion. He wants Malaysian tourism to be more famous, grateful to be able to beat Thailand as the most crowded country visited by foreign tourists in Southeast Asia.

Ulam's beloved pinnacle arrives. Nazri launched the logo titled Visit Malaysia 2020 in the Asean Tourism Forum, lostee Mai, Thailand on January 26, 2018. The celebration was deliberately chosen so that the attention of the whole Southeast Asia was amazed by Malaysian tourism.

Nazri believes the logo launched can bring many benefits. Nazri's confidence is reasonable. The tourism logo launched is able to accommodate all kinds of important elements of Malaysian tourism.

On the one hand, the logo makes tropical animals (canoes to orangutans), the other side contains Malaysian sparkling with the icon of the Petronas Tower. All kinds of advantages are then wrapped in slogans that are considered to bring Malaysian tourism beken:Travel. Enjoy.Respect.

"We present the Petronas Twin Tower, orangutans, defenders, and turtles because this is our symbol. This is what foreigners want to know about Malaysia when they come here. The Petronas Twin Tower is an icon for us like the Eiffel Tower for Parisians. Why these animals wear sunglasses, this is to show that Malaysia is a bright country with beautiful beaches and that we support environmental conservation."

We also make it colorful because it represents Malaysia. We are a country full of colors with a variety of cultures and we want to make it clear that tourism is fun. I can't put up a serious logo. This is tourism and should be fun," said Malaysian Minister Pariwista, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz as quoted by the New Straits Times page, January 29, 2018.

The presence of Malaysia's new tourism logo was not warmly welcomed in its own country. Instead of many praising, the logo was flooded with criticism. Many of the Malaysian people consider the existing logo to embarrass Malaysia as a big country in Southeast Asia.

All because the 2020 Malaysian Visit logo is considered outdated, bad, and cheap. Alias, the logo is unable to keep up with the tastes of the times. The logo by the ranks of the tourism ministry looks like it is made by amateurs.

Gema kecaman pun muncul di dunia maya. Ragam media sosial dimenuhi oleh deru protes. Mereka menganggap Kementerian Pariwisata Malaysia tidak mampu kerja. Narasi itu karena empunya kuasa mengerjakan logo saja tak mampu, apalagi mengembangkan pariwisata.

The criticism was also followed by being willing to create the 2020 MalaysianVisit logo. They want to show that Malaysia has never been short of artists. The criticism continues. The Malaysian people even initiated an online petition via Change.org regarding rejection of the logo.

Those who wanted the logo to be thrown away reached 13 thousand people. The criticism was initially ignored by the Ministry of Tourism. The existing logo is maintained. Everything changed during the change of government. The new Malaysian Tourism Minister, Mohamaddin Ketapi tried to soften in August 2018.

He promised to replace the controversial tourism logo. This wish was realized by the presence of a new Malaysian tourism logo. However, in the meantime, the old logo will still be used for the next year.

"The Malaysian Ministry of Tourism launched the latest logo to visit Malaysia 2020. The design is bad, looks cheap and does not reflect the country, people, and history. The people were not asked beforehand. This petition is to stop the Ministry of Tourism using the design," said the petition.