Interpretation tool, marketing and promotion workshop - CONT.

19th May 2009 ( Tuesday ), 11.30am

Figure 1: Ashwin give the talk

Our second session begins with the sub-topic of marketing tourism which it makes money and sense.

This session it will be presented by Ashwin from Penang Tourism Action Council (PTAC).

Basically he is being talking about the background of the organization of the PTAC. Then he starts with the marketing tourism. What we really need to look in marketing are as stated below.

What is marketing?

People hold a variety of misconceptions about marketing. Most common is its confusion with selling and advertising. Selling and advertising are actually types of promotion which is only a component of marketing. Marketing involves much more, including product/service development, place (location and distribution), and pricing. It requires information about people, especially those interested in what you have to offer (your "market"), such as what they like, where they buy and how much they spend. Its role is to match the right product or service with the right market or audience.

Things to do in the marketing tourism.

1. Statistic analysis

The first step will need us to do the analysis of the following section

# Product Analysis
# Position Analysis
# Prospect Analysis

The purpose of the analysis is to make sure that you are on the right track – who wants to be on the wrong track?

Two basic questions need to be answered with the analysis:

1) Is there sufficient demand for the product or service?
2) Can the product or service be provided on a profitable basis?

2. Communication

The way of communication ----> A.I.D.A

A – Attention : how to create attention of the product
I – Interest : is it bring any interest in the communication
D – Desire : to find Y factor
A – Action : take relevant action

3. Implementing

# Set time frame

# Monitor

Many well designed marketing plans fail because they are poorly executed. Businesses, agencies, and communities can increase the likelihood of successful implementation if they:

(1) identify specific tasks which must be accomplished;

(2) assign people or departments specific responsibility for different tasks;

(3) provide employees with information on the marketing plan.

(rational, objective and strategic.)

(4) develop time lines and deadlines;

(5) adhere as much as possible to the budget; and

(6) regularly monitor and evaluate progress.

4. Evaluate

It is important that marketing efforts be continually evaluated. This will improve the effectiveness of marketing strategies by identifying differences between actual results and expected performance and determining likely reasons for the success or failure to objectives that have been plan earlier.

5. Entry

# Being an imitator

It is not wrong being an imitator as long we did not take other authorised. We can imitate the idea of the best marketing planning. This is because sometimes we could not see what other sees. Then by being an imitator, we can get the rough idea and try implementing it in our own way. Similar but not the same. For example we have in our market 7 Eleven, the imitator would be the Lima, J-Mart, Speed Mart and etc.

# Being an initiator

This surely is good initiative. People will look at us and will admire our work. Beside we are going to be the person where people would imitate our idea from. We can be such an inventor.

Figure 2: Everyone sitting and have discussion

After the words from Ashwin from PTAC, we all sit in circle and discuss the resource and constrain that the participant face. Janet start the talk and keep asking people around are the constrains regarding their resource available. Lot of thing been highlighted. One of it from the Penang heritage Centre. This is where they have a lack of budget to run their program. Then they seek for the fund from the PEMADAM – “Persatuan Mencegah Dadah Malaysia”. They take the ex-drug addict to become the trishaw puller. Give them some work to be done. As well as the marketing tourism could be helping the jobless ex drug addict and as well gain the fund from the PEMADAM. This is call such an effective way of the constrain and resolution they manage to handle.

We end our session for that day at 1pm.

Interpretation tool, marketing and promotion workshop

19th May 2009 (Tuesday), 9.30am

The interpretation tool, marketing and promotion workshop was held at the Penang Heritage Trust. on the first session, the workshop being presented by Janet who is one of the Anak-Anak Kota Organization Members.

On that specific day, we have learnt into three sections. Which are:

Introduction to interpretation tools.

Introduction to promotion and marketing strategies.

Working with your site resource and constrain.

Figure 1: Janet gave the talk

The reasons of doing this workshop are:

To define, introduce, share and study various interpretation tools.

To define and study marketing and promotion strategies in relation to Cultural heritage products or site.

To brain storm and overcome issue of the site limitation and constraints.

I was real surprised when the detailed being discuss are actually as the same as Pn Nazlina mention when to create a good web site. They are as below.

The first session begin with:

1. Know your attraction:

What one organization or people who have the cultural heritage products or site must compile their inventories of what are the site or products offers for visitors or tourist.

One also must know their knowledge from person, library, where is the sources or method used.

They need also to determine whether their site is historical, natural or cultural site. This is to ensure they are in the right tract of making further planning marketing and promotion.

Then they need to ensure their site have to contain the living experience around. Which mean they are people who leave and there in the site.

2. Conduct a market research:

While conducting the research, the things should you bare in your mind would be:

What primary reason tourist come to our site or used and buys our products?

Identify the type of tourist that visit your sites or look at your collection.

3. Know your market:

Know who the tourists are. Their age, race, and preference will determine what they want from our sites either just to have a look or appreciate the site and products.

Besides, we must look the significance in the sites offers is it related to materials shown?

The key value and integrity must be retained.

ISSUE:

Penang Islamic Museum. While we enter into the museum, the feeling and surrounding are so cold. I mean the message that the museum try to deliver to the visitors did not reach to the level of satisfaction. For those Malay who familiar with the things shown will understand. How for those who is Caucasian, Chinese and Indian will not be able to understand well.

The Quran shows in the glass showcase. For those who were not Malay and Muslim, they would like to know where the Al Quran is being recited. They would like to see that kind of living heritage. Even the Quran it is not good to be put on the floor, how ever photo of people recite Quran using “rehal” or Quran holder can be shown.

The interpretation must be good to ensure visitors feels like they in those era and they can feel it without just read the interpretation.

Remember: Focus on customer needs and interest.

Figure 2: Everyone is giving great attention. The view was not good since I have to sit at the back.

What is interpretation?

"Interpretation is a communication process, designed to reveal meanings and relationships of our cultural and natural heritage, through involvement with objects, artefacts, landscapes and sites." (Interpretation Canada)


Why interpret site?

In some cases where a heritage site is big enough or well known enough, it might not require as much interpretive effort to attract visitors – people will want to see it or experience it because of other benefits the site provides. Interpretation is a "value added" benefit to the total site visit. (Scotland Interpretation Seminar, Oct 2000).

But for most moderate to small heritage sites, providing outstanding interpretive programs and services, and having a good interpretive plan will be required for their long-term tourism success. (Scotland Interpretation Seminar, Oct 2000).

Example:

If we used curry leave, then we need to interpret. Why we used it, how it help in medical purpose, where it is from and so on. The best if you can relate your interpretation with the visitor’s daily life. This will help them remember last and create some interesting to be heard.

What is static interpretation?

Signpost, plague, description on site, photographic collection and newspaper cutting.

In short hand, we can summarize the basic principles of interpretation as:

Provoke

Relate

Reveal Address the Whole

Strive for Message Unity.

Do remember, the memories of giving interpretation will last by:

90% what they do

50% what they see

30% what they read

10% what they heard


Then we break for a while to have some drink and food. Basically the food is good that day. Fried noodles and a pack of pastries. Later we start with our second session of that workshop.

Future Task of Conservation, Restoration and Renovation of 'Green House'

The green house which situated next to No.69 house as in the picture is going to be my future project. The green house that I mention is not the green house process which contributed to global warming. It is formerly an old Malay house which has been used as the Madrasah Al-Quran (Quranic Clases) which taught people learned Al Quran. Pn Nazlina has asked me last week to do the mock proposal to renovation and restoration of the house. The house is posotioned in the Acheen Street Malay Mosque area.

Figure 1: The location of 'green house'

I have been doing some survey regarding the price of the material that is going to be used. However, most company would not like to reveal their quotation as their afraid the people will manipulated the information. However, I am still search for the company who willing to share the information for this mock proposal.

Figure 2: The damage occure due to lack of conservation

Burra Charter describes that conservation consists of several scope of works, which then can be categorized into several groups. Conservation, although defines a general meaning of preserving and conserving historical buildings, sites, areas or monuments as a national heritage through the gazette action, however can be specifically categorized under several categories, as follows. Each category carries a different meaning, outlining and defining the difference on the scope of works that associate with it. Rehabilitation is a part of the wide conservation filed. Rehabilitation works are recently becoming increasingly important for urban development. According to Young and Egbu, rehabilitation covers a wider scope of work, not limited to alteration and adaptation. Rehabilitation also includes the renovation, extension, improvement, conversion, modernization, fittings out and repair which undertaken on an existing building to permit its reuse for various specified purposed. Rehabilitation means the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portion and features of the property which are significant to its historical, architectural and cultural values .

What is Burra Charter?

The Burra Charter provides guidance for the conservation and management of places of cultural significance (cultural heritage places), and is based on the knowledge and experience of Australia ICOMOS members. Conservation is an integral part of the management of places of cultural significance and is an ongoing responsibility. (Burra Charter)

Who is the Charter for?

The Charter sets a standard of practice for those who provide advice, make decisions about, or undertake works to places of cultural significance, including owners, managers and custodians.
( Burra Charter)

The Charter should be read as a whole. Many articles are interdependent. Articles in the Conservation Principles section are often further developed in the Conservation Processes and Conservation Practice sections. Headings have been included for ease of reading but do not form part of the Charter. ( Burra Charter )

Before this, my assignment in university regarding the cultural significance in Kuala Pilah used the same Charter. Basically I have read through the Charter. I think this can also be implementing in the future task area.

Moreover, I will be attending the seminar regarding heritage on Tuesday ( 19th May 2009). The reports regarding the seminar will be posted in the next post.

How to Have Good Website

Our next meeting would be last Friday 15.5.2009 at the Penang Hritage Centre or World heritage Office. I nearly forget the meeting as I did not read carefully the mail send by Pn Nazlina. I arrived 5 minutes late then the time we agreed. That particular day, I have learned a lot of information regarding how people make their own website. If you want to learn outside, then I am so sure it cost you a lot. Here I would like to share some what I have learned.

Pn Nazlina had highlighted things that we need as to become the webmaster and have your own website.

1. You need brain and motivation.

This is meant any one can be webmaster if ones have working brain and enough motivation to do so. No matter who you are, even a housewife, drop out school or students and workers who have determination and desire in doing such can become webmaster. This work is not too hard or not too easy. Just follow right instruction given you can become ones.

2. C.T.P.M ( Content, Traffic, Pre-sell, Make Money )

C = Content

When write in your content, first we must bare the “W,H” question. Which are : WHO, WHEN, WHY, WHAT, HOW. This is where by knowing who is our reader, what is the main point to be load and why are we choose such key word will determine good content of the website. When to have your own website, the content must be pure written by you. Not to cut and paste other people’s content into your page. If there are the things that you need to take other’s work then you need to put some credits and give notes the things you take from others. This is to ensure you are not commit with the plagiarism.

T = Traffic

Bare in your mind, I am not talking about the road congestion. Traffic here means the number of people view your page. We know which article they read, how many people are reading, where the readers are came from, and how many times they view the page and for how long they spend to view your page. All this statistic and ranking can be view at alexa.com or Google PR (Google Page Rank). For those who do not get what i said, just look. When you type the keyword in the web engine at any main server, the result may show 1-10 out of 1 million pages available abut the keyword that you type. The top 10 result will show the best webpage that have link to the keyword you type in the search engine.

The technique they used to find suitable pages relate to your keyword is by using the “spidering”. What is spidering? Spidering is where any keyword highlighted in the content will be taken. The suitable keyword that may be used will be suggested by the web to the webmaster. The keyword will focus the content. There are criteria need to be fulfil to write a webpage. The keyword must be highlighted several times. To remind, too many keyword used, might be wrong as they might say it is being copied by others article. For example you type to your search engine penang heritage city then you will find the web page of www.penangheritagecity.com will be the first out of top ten. Or you type the Tupperware manager the first ten web page appear will be the http://penangheritagecity.blogspot.com/. Both webpage and blog are being created by Pn Nazlina my practical advisor.

Inside the package of how to built the web will also have the long tail keywords. What are long tail key words? When people type at the search engine they will get the suitable page that is related to their key word. So, ant thing that they write in the search engine that link to the page will be in the long tail keyword. However all the information will only being view by the creator of the web page as to know where the page rank and which page people viewed most.

REMINDER: good content will get good traffic.

P = Pre-sell

What is pre-sell? The content that we write will actually make some pre-sell of the product or thing that we are being talking about.

M = Make money

It happen when you have established your page, lots of viewer, people used your page as the place their seek information and buying things, and then this is how it makes money. Some people will indeed of buying the webpage. Some will also advertise their product in your page as they know, lots of viewer will read their advertisement.

The First Qadhi of Penang House (1888)

Figure 1: Outer design of the house

The clock is ticking and it is 9.10am. We (Pn. Nazlina and I) walked down the street to Acheen Street Malay Mosque as our appointment with En. Mohamed Yahya or Cikgu Mat would be at 9.30am. Just a few minutes, we reach the mosque. The Ramzan’s Restaurant is just few blocks from the mosque.

Figure 2: Infront view

The 1st scenery I viewed was the row of old houses on the left and behind of the mosque. We just walked around and snap as many pictures as I could. We went to the no. 69 house which was the first Qadhi of Penang around 1888. While enjoy taking picture, a man came out from his house and heading to his car. Before went out from the mosque area, the man ask Pn Nazlina what we are doing around and if anything that he could help. Pn Nazlina introduced us and told our purpose going there. The man I mention is Tengku Syed Omar who is the ancestor of Tengku Syed Hussin Al-Aidid. En Syed call someone and then help us to meet Cikgu Mat easily. At that moment, we keep continue to take the picture of the outer side of the Rumah No.69. The architectural design of the building very beautiful. Later, Pn. Nazlina kept feeding me with lots of information about the house.

Figure 3: The Living Hall

Afterwards, we went up using the side staircase to the second level. Pn. Nazlina pushed the door bell and one old woman open the door. She pleased us inside and asked permission of going out as she willing to buy some grocery at the wet market. We waited for 20 minutes for Cikgu Mat. Then, he came out. We great each other and he delighted us to sit. Firstly, he start remind us. He told the story of the student came visiting the place and hold the old books and description started to get allergic when she/he (did not mention) went home. Sooner than, Cikgu Mat did not know and could not bother on how to handles old books. At this instant, Cikgu Mat also have the same experience of allergic. He visited many clinics including the best skin specialist at Aboo Siti Lane, Penang. However, the allergy seem did not heal. Then he advice us when we take or look on the old book or picture, we must always wash our hand. As if the ethic before eating. He shared with us quite lots of information. The best words that I really love to hear from Cikgu Mat is that “ I’m not an expert of historic or anyone special to tell all the past times story. I’m here to share the information that I know. Our meeting are more about discussing or changing information rather than just listen to my story”. He preferred the 2 way communication which is I feel this is good method of telling and sharing those precious moment.

Figure 4: Cikgu Mat

Cikgu Mat personality who is very friendly and down to earth, make that morning evens more appealing. He is good at cracking with interesting story. Giving us lots of advice and historical aspect of Acheen Street Malay Mosque, Cikgu Mat always answered us patiently any question we arose. Cikgu Mat gave us lots of information and some even not related to the Acheen Malay Street Mosque or the No. 69 House. However, his words can be used in your daily life. Basically no formal meeting between us and makes us very comfortable.

We ask permission to went back home. Once again the words came out from Cikgu Mat mouth has stopped us from doing so. “Please have some drink here.” While we answered “It is ok we can have our drink outside”. Then he replied “We are Malay who is full with our precious customary, so please have your drink here”. Cikgu Mat really cares about the visitors visit him. While having our drink the noon started to rain. They call it in Malay “hujan hambat mak mertua” which is translated to “The rain to chase mother in law”. This is because, once upon a time, where the daughter in laws always afraid of their mother in law who is usually fierce and very demanding. So the mother in laws will always visit their son’s house for a while and condemning the daughter in laws. Typically, anything that is being done by the daughter in law always done things wrongly. Therefore, they wish and very happy when there is the rain in that afternoon. Usually the rains in the noon just remain for a moment that pursues the mother in law to go back earlier. See, how we still used those words even in our modern era where most mothers in law are friendlier rather than the past mother in law. However, our customary still strong to be practice until now.

After the rain stop, we make our moves and went home. That is how the day ends.

19th Century Heritage Buildings

When I met Puan Nazlina (my practical advisor), she introduce me to the centre manager, Pn. Rozaini Hassan and En. Osman Said who is the assistance. After visiting the Centre, we start our walking to Acheen Street Malay Mosque.

Hands before, we took long run as to look at the other heritage building around before we went to the Acheen Street Mosque. Puan Nazlina showed me the buildings around. Surprised me, the stunning, smooth and fine design of the building has caught my attention that particular Monday morning (11th May 2009). While when you turn left into Lebuh Armenian, the first building that you will see would be the Penang Islamic Museum (Picture:1). It is situated right behind the Penang Heritage Centre or World Heritage Office. There are also rows of shop houses that is believe dating back from the 19th century. The Dr. Sun Yat Sen Base (Picture:2) is one of the heritage buildings of the shop house. Since that morning the sky is calming ocean blue, my hand could not stop from taking the picture of those unique buildings. We walk few steps then we saw there are still businesses being run in those shop houses like recycle shops. A unit of shop house was undergoing the restoration and reconstruction. Nevertheless, even the contractor try to duplicate the old design there is still differences being detected. The design was not as smooth as the old building next to it.

Subsequently, down the street of Lebuh Armenian the white building belong to Yap Kongsi on the right. Next to it which is at the junction with Medan Canon is the Choo Chay Keong Temple (Picture:3). The beautiful and colourful designs of the dragon on the roof of the temple really catch peoples’ attention. Before we met En Mohamed Yahya or Cikgu Mat at the rumah No 69.(The 1st mufti house) or it is being situated next to Acheen Street Malay Mosque (Picture:4), we had our breakfast at the Ramzan’s Restaurant (Picture:5). To slurp a sip of ‘teh tarik’ really give starting boost the energy that wonderful morning.

Starting of the day

It is been almost 3 years I did not walk around Georgetown. Yes, I really mean walking, not raiding or driving. 11th May would be the first day ever after 3 years I do the walking activity again. However this time the purpose of walking would be different from the last 3years. I am doing my practical concerning about the heritage at the Acheen Street Malay Mosque given by my practical advisor Pn Nazlina bt Hussin who is the writer of the http://www.penangheritagecity.com webpage.

I started my journey from Komtar. I can just walk to the Acheen Street from Komtar, but that day I prefered to hop the MPPP Rapid Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus to the World Heritage Office or also being call as Penang Heritage Centre to know the services. The station at Komtar is number 9. After being waiting for 25minutes, the bus arrived. Then it waited for 5minutes before continuing the journey. I managed to get the front sit beside one Malay girl. Then the bus turned into Magazine Road and took another turns to right into Penang Road. It stopped at station 10 which is in front of Ong Kongsi. In this station there are 5 old Chinese hops on the bus. One of them did not have the set as the bus is full. Then I gave my seat to the old man. The moment I woke up, the uncle thanks me and I believe that is going to be good day. The bus keeps moving along Penang Road and took right into Transfer Road. At the second traffic light, the bus turned right into Hutton Lane and right again after reached another traffic light into Penang Road which has the station 11 again and at the Y junction it took on the left into Dr. Lim Chwee Leong Road. The bus moved straight passed the station 12 and 13 and took left into Carnarvon Street. Then I stopped at the station 14. Cross the road and waited for Puan Nazlina in front of the blue building of Penang Heritage Centre or World Heritage Office.