LANGKAWI: The target to attract 2.5 million visitors to Langkawi looks promising after the island welcomed 1.1 million inbound travellers in the first six months of this year.
Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) chief executive officer Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib said it was an encouraging momentum, given that the travellers spent at least one night on the island following the reopening of the borders.
"Throughout June alone, we have recorded over 200,000 inbound traveller arrivals, particularly those spending holidays in conjunction with the month-long Langkawi Geopark Carnival 2022.
"As such, we are confident that the target to attract 2.5 million visitors by end of this year is within reach," he told reporters after opening the 'Cuci-cuci Langkawi@Gunung Raya Granite' programme at Lubuk Semilang Recreational Park here today.
More than 180 participants from government agencies, the private sector, volunteer bodies and local community took part in the 'gotong-royong' programme.
Nasaruddin added that domestic travellers from Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Perak, Melaka, Penang and Kelantan were among those visited the island to take part in 22 programmes held during the carnival.
Nasaruddin said Lada was also in the process of getting Gunung Raya Granite Geoforest Park enlisted as the fourth conservation sites on the island.
"The site is slated to become a new ecotourism product for Langkawi, as part of the preparation for the revalidation of Langkawi geopark status that is done every four years.
"This is paramount to retain Langkawi's position as the world's top 10 ecotourism destination," he said.