Experience US
If you like Chevrolet cars and would like to get a feel of what it’s like behind the steering wheel, make it a point to visit the new wing of the 1-Utama shopping complex this weekend. The US Embassy Commercial Service is hosting the ‘Experience US’ promotion at the ground floor of the ‘Highstreet’ section. The event promotes US tourism, education, apparel brands, and automobiles. Among the highlights are a fashion show, free gifts (purchase required) and a chance to win a free return ticket to the US.
The main sponsor of the event is Hicomobil Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian distributor of the American brand Chevrolet cars. Visitors to the shopping complex can get to test drive the full range of Chevrolet cars available for sale in Malaysia, namely the 1.5 litre Aveo, the 1.6 and 1.8 litre Optra, the 7-seater Nabira, and the top of the range Chevrolet Lumina, a 3.8 litre luxurious and powerful sedan.
Other sponsors include 1-Utama, American Express, Starbucks and Clinique. Tourism and education exhibitors are American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Reliance Travel, Golden Tourworld Travel, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Northwood University, and the Malaysian-American Commission of Educational Exchange (MACEE).
Fashion shows will be held over the two days, and will feature CK jeans, Guess apparel, Kenneth Cole, Nautica and Polo Ralph Lauren.
Speaking at the media press conference held at the shopping complex on Tuesday, 19th October, Mr. William Zarit, Commercial Counselor at the US Embassy, said that visitors from Malaysia to the United States has been declining since a high of 80,000 in 1996 to less than 35,000 in 2003. Similarly, Malaysian students studying in the United States has dropped from almost 15,000 students in the 1997-1998 period to a little more than 6,500 students in the 2002-2003 academic year. Mr. Zarit added that the decline was partly due to the economic down turn of the late 1990’s, and the September 11 incident.
Replying to a question from the floor with regard to the very stringent visa and immigration procedures, Mr. Zarit clarified that the process has been streamlined, and visitors can expect to get their visas approved within two days under the current system. Intending visitors can download the visa application forms from the official site of the US Embassy http://usembassymalaysia.org.my, fill it and present it at the embassy.
