MELAKA: The state government will carry out 64 tourism events throughout the year as a prelude to the organisation of dozens more activities throughout the Visit Melaka Year 2024 (VMY2024).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh today said 13 of those events would be major tourism events to boost tourism in the state this year.
Among the main events were the Melaka International Air Carnival at the Melaka International Airport from Sept 29 to Oct 1; Melaka-Pahang Heritage and Tourism Festival at the Melaka Sultanate Palace Museum in Banda Hilir on Oct 14 and 15; and the Melaka Tricycle Carnival at the Melaka Museum Complex in Banda Hilir on Nov 25.
"I invite everyone to join in the programmes. I am confident, with this effort, we will succeed in attracting tourists to Melaka in our preparation to welcome the Visit Melaka Year 2024."
He said this at the launch of the Melaka Giant Kite Festival 2023 in Limbongan, Klebang.
Present at the launch were Tourism, Heritage, Art and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Wira Abd Razak Abd Rahman; Entrepreneurs Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Allex Seah Shoo Chin; Melaka City Mayor Datuk Shadan Othman; and Media Prima Omnia chief operating officer Datuk Mohd Effendi Omar.
Ab Rauf said he hoped the programme could be organised on a larger scale and international standard next year, in conjunction with VMY2024, to attract tourists.
He said the programme was categorised as a sub-sector of sports tourism, and he believed that the state they could be able to achieve reach the target of 8.4 million tourists this year.
He said the two-day festival, which ended yesterday, had seen the participation of as many as 50 domestic and international entries from countries, such as China, Macao and Singapore.