Headline :Overwhelmed by response

NST-TRAVEL TIMES
Date :25/01/2005
Page :04
Byline :By R.S. Kamini
Type : News

OVER 2,000 entries and growing. The overwhelming response to the Tourism Malaysia Photo Contest has caused a slight delay in the announcement of the winners.
Even shortlisting the best pictures for the various categories was no easy task for the organisers but they have promised that the winners will be announced next month.
According to Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board's audio visual deputy director, Ramzi Abu Yazid, more than 2,000 entries were received initially.
The number has been whittled down to 1,500 but Ramzi said the judges will still have to go through a few rounds of selection process.
Held for the first time in the country, the contest was part of the Tourism Malaysia Photo Festival 2004 which included a photo exhibition, a forum and a two-day photo carnival.
Jointly organised by the Tourism Ministry and Travel Times, the event was aimed at encouraging professionals, amateurs, students and photo enthusiasts to capture various aspects of the country's many tourism attractions.
Five judges from various organisations - including the Tourism Board, The New Straits Times and Kodak Malaysia - are in charge of choosing the winning entries.
Prizes worth RM50,000 await winners in the human life, nature and family holiday categories.
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