IPOH: A blend of old city charm, natural wonders and rustic island getaways make Perak a favourite destination among local and foreign tourists.
During this school holiday period, the state recorded a spike in tourist arrivals. They visited the city here and Pulau Pangkor in Lumut.
State Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Tan Kar Hing said many tourists had been flocking to the state since the first day of the school holidays at the end of last month.
“I was told that major tourist spots, such as Pulau Pangkor, have been packed with local and foreign tourists. On some days, there were long queues at the (Lumut) jetty.
“Tourists also flock to Ipoh Old Town, known for its hipster cafes and vintage-style eateries, bookstores and mural paintings.
“Many come to Ipoh for the food alone,” he said, adding that tourist arrivals were expected to increase during Christmas.
Checks at the Lost World of Tambun here yesterday showed that it was popular with children and adults despite some light drizzle in the morning.
Mohd Sulaiman Ismail, who came from Kluang, Johor, said his three children enjoyed the attractions at the theme park.
“They are so excited to come here. They can swim and see the wild animals, such as tigers.”
Sulaiman, 47, said: “I have been looking forward to this trip to spend time with my children. I promised them this trip to Perak for this school holiday.”
M. Palani, 45, from Melaka, said he and his family came to Perak to enjoy outdoor activities.
“My family and I enjoy outdoor activities. By coming to Ipoh and visiting its attractions, my children get to learn about the country’s natural wonders,” he said at Gua Tempurung in Gopeng, near here.
Gua Tempurung is one of the country’s popular natural wonders.
It is also one of the longest caves in Peninsular Malaysia with a 2km tunnel under the limestone formations of Gunung Tempurung and Gunung Gajah.
In George Town , state Tourism, Heritage, Culture and Arts Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said the number of domestic visitors to Penang had increased this year.
Yeoh said from January to Dec 10, the state received 1,124,823 tourists compared with 1,063,619 during the same period last year.
“The number of visitors from January to Dec 10 — both domestic and international — has also increased from 1,571,044 to 1,708,945.
“As we are halfway into the school holidays, the figures are still being tabulated, but we have received a few positive indications for the tourism industry,” he told the New Straits Times here yesterday.
Penang has been organising large-scale events to attract participants from all around the world.
The most recent one was the Penang Bridge International Marathon (PBIM), which was held at the start of the school holidays.
Yeoh said the marathon attracted 25,000 runners.
Besides that, Penang organised the Butterworth Fringe Festival (BFF), comprising more than 50 programmes, including traditional dance groups and the Wak Long Music shadow puppet show.
Last year, BFF recorded 112,000 visitors and this year, the number has increased to 125,000.
Penang, a food paradise, also held the Penang Street Food Festival (PSFF), which attracted 150,000 visitors.
“We expect the pace to pick up, especially during weekends, the year-end and the Christmas festive season,” said Yeoh.
In Alor Star, the number of tourists visiting Kedah has increased, especially during school holidays.
State Youth and Sports, Tourism, Arts and Culture, and Entrepreneurship Development Committee chairman Mohd Asmirul Anuar Aris said more local and foreign tourists were visiting the state due to strategic tourism approaches.
“While the usual tourist spots, such as Langkawi, continue to boost the numbers of visitors, other attractions are seeing renewed interest such as Alor Star, Gunung Jerai, Sungai Petani, Bukit Kayu Hitam and Kuala Muda.
He said this was the result of the Tourist Roadmap programme, which is supported by Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, to boost tourism.
He said promotional activities to boost Kedah’s tourism were placed at entry points into the country, such as the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and klia2.
He said the state would soon have its own tourism directory to help visitors plan their holidays.
“Langkawi will see an upgrade in infrastructure to accommodate more visitors.”
Last year, it was reported that Selangor recorded the highest domestic tourism receipt with a total of RM13.2 billion, according to the Domestic Tourism Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
It chief statistician, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, said this was followed by Kuala Lumpur (RM10.2 billion), Sarawak (RM8.1 billion), Sabah (RM7.5 billion) and Pahang (RM7.4 billion).
He said the survey found Selangor recorded the highest number of tourist arrivals last year with 30.2 million visitors.
Earlier this month, Tourism Malaysia in collaboration with Malaysia Airlines launched special holiday packages for next year to target 92.8 million local visitors.
The domestic tourists are expected to spend a total of RM76.9 billion.