By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH – Perak has successfully exceeded its target of attracting over 8 million domestic and 350,000 international tourists in 2024.
Perak Menteri Besar, Dato’ Seri Saarani Mohamad, stated that data from Tourism Malaysia’s survey revealed that 627,292 international tourists had visited the state by September 2024.
“This represents a 135% increase compared to the Visit Perak Year 2017 campaign,” he said in his speech at the Finale of Visit Perak Year 2024 at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah last night.
Saarani also mentioned that besides Ipoh and Pulau Pangkor, the Larut, Matang, and Selama districts recorded a high number of visitors, with 1,050,144 tourists, making it the third highest district for tourist arrivals in the state.
“Tourist attractions such as the Telegraph Museum, Antong Coffee, and Trong Leisure Farm saw a 30% increase in visitors compared to the previous year,” he added.
He also praised the Taiping Municipal Council for its successful organisation of 150 events throughout 2024 in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of Taiping.
“This achievement has had a positive economic impact, strengthened the community, and elevated Taiping as a heritage and international tourism destination,” he said.
Additionally, Saarani highlighted the significant role of social media and influencers in promoting Perak’s tourism products.
“Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have allowed younger generations to showcase the uniqueness and beauty of Perak. Many new destinations, such as hipster cafes, hidden resorts, and historical landmarks, are now becoming widely known and trending,” he explained.
Throughout 2024, more than 110 tourism events were held across the state, including the Rainforest Challenge in Lenggong, Rimba Raid in Hulu Perak, Ultra Trail by UTMB in Taiping, and the Kampar River Festival in Gopeng, which attracted participants from over 60 countries.
These events have helped establish Perak as an international ecotourism and extreme sports destination.
