Three bars in one night was a big task but not beyond the scope of members of No Address Society (NAS) who attended this event in October 2018 hosted by three bars within The Olive Tree Group. Rockaway Grill + Bar, Why Not Kitchen + Bar and Rock Bottom Kitchen + Bar are located in the epicentre of Kuala Lumpur’s liveliest entertainment precinct, Changkat Bukit Bintang.
The evening commenced with refreshing apéritifs and canapés in Why Not Kitchen + Bar before society members bar-hopped down the street for dinner in Rock Bottom Kitchen + Bar. A delicious buffet of tasty and spicy Indian delights was served with a generous pour of cool beverages.
After dinner, society members adjourned for The Dialogue to discuss topical tourism issues confronting the Malaysian tourism and hospitality industries. What started as an extensive platform for entrepreneurs, business owners and corporate heads to build strong and powerful networks while enjoying good company and food, has become an avenue for voicing concerns to the relevant authorities.
The town hall topic for the evening was on tourism and Malaysia’s efforts to promote itself to global travellers. Many members participated in the discussion, which addressed topics as diverse as the apparent oversupply of hotels in Kuala Lumpur, lack of implementation in tourism promotional efforts, the need for more prestigious events to attract more tourists, the need to invest in ecotourism and to protect natural tourism assets and the overwhelming bureaucratic processes involved in tourism/hospitality compliance.
One of the important suggestions was for a one-stop agency, similar to Talent Corp, that could assist tourism and hospitality entrepreneurs cut through bureaucratic processes and speed up development applications.
With the impending ‘Visit Malaysia 2020’, there was a suggestion that Malaysia needs to quickly create an environment to make doing business in the country easier. Industry players also need to offer suggestions to the authorities and to not just make complaints.
After the interactive discussion, NAS members adjourned to Rockaway Grill + Bar for more merriment and dancing to the bar’s resident band.
