PERAK BETS ON NATURE, HERITAGE TO DRAW TOURISTS IN VM2026

IPOH, Jan 1 (Bernama) -- Natural beauty, world-class heritage sites as well as eco-tourism and adventure sports products continue to be among Perak’s main attractions in drawing domestic and international visitors in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.

State Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said taking all factors into account, Perak is targeting 10.5 million domestic tourists and 1.2 million international tourists this year in conjunction with the campaign.

He said the targets are also supported by spillover visitors from the country’s main hubs, visa facilitation measures and the hosting of various national and international-scale events, in line with Perak’s inclusion in the calendar of events for VM2026.

bootstrap slideshow

“Various festivals, cultural exhibitions and international-standard tourism experiences have been carefully planned to ensure a vibrant year with a high impact on the tourism sector and the state’s economy,” he told a press conference at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here today.

Earlier, Loh officiated the welcoming of the earliest visitors to the state as part of the VM2026 initiative.

He said on behalf of the Perak state government, unwavering commitment will continue to be given to the implementation of VM2026, in line with the Federal Government’s aspirations through the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) to elevate the national tourism industry to a higher level.

“The Perak state government will continue to work closely and in tandem with MOTAC and Tourism Malaysia to ensure that every initiative is implemented effectively to fully realise the objectives of Visit Malaysia 2026,” he said.

On transportation facilities, Loh said domestic tourists generally travel using private vehicles or existing public transport, while international tourists tend to prefer walking or using e-hailing services.

“Perak, particularly in Ipoh, is very safe. The people are also friendly and always smiling. As such, international tourists are more inclined to walk or use e-hailing services, and I believe this poses no issue as such services are easily accessible in Perak,” he said.

Loh said among the main attractions in Perak this year are Gua Tempurung in Gopeng, Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah, the royal palace complex in Kuala Kangsar, the Teluk Intan Leaning Tower and the historic area of Lenggong.

Touching on geopark areas, particularly limestone caves that remain closed, Loh said the state government takes visitor safety seriously and such areas will only be reopened once upgrading or repair works are completed and the safety of visitors is fully assured.

“There are also industry players who have automatically closed the limestone caves. We would like to thank these responsible operators as they prioritise visitor safety,” he said.

Meanwhile, Australian tourist Alan Anderson, 48, from Melbourne, said he chose to visit Ipoh due to his family roots, as his mother, who currently lives in Adelaide, originally hails from the city, with local cuisine topping his list of expectations.

“I’ve been here a couple of times and the thing I always remember is the food — it’s just amazing. I’m really looking forward to eating. I’m quite famous in my family for eating 60 sticks of satay in one sitting,” he said.

The father of two added that his plans in Ipoh remained flexible but would likely include leisure and outdoor activities.

“We haven’t decided everything yet. Part of it is that we like to relax a bit and maybe get a little fit, as my father enjoys climbing Kledang Hill, so we’ll probably do that a few times,” he said.

-- BERNAMA