By Rosli Mansor and Ahmad Razali
IPOH: The unique culture, heritage, traditional cuisine and tourism offerings of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang are being brought directly to Ipoh through the three-day Pantai Timur Fest 2026 (PTFest 2026), which opened today at AEON Mall Kinta City.
Now in its second edition, the festival features 30 exhibition booths involving tourism industry players from the three East Coast states, offering a variety of travel packages and special promotions in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).
This year’s event is seen as particularly significant as it is being held in Ipoh following the success of its inaugural edition in Kuala Lumpur last year, providing residents from the northern and central regions of Peninsular Malaysia with greater access to East Coast tourism attractions.
The festival was officially launched by Tourism Malaysia director-general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim.
Also present were Tourism Terengganu director Datuk Tengku Mohd Arifin Tengku Abdul Rahman, Perak executive councillor Loh Sze Yee, Terengganu executive councillor Datuk Razali Idris, Perak MOTAC director Muhammad Aminuddin Abdul Majid, and Tourism Perak chief executive officer Suhaimi Abu Hassan Shari.
Speaking at the event, Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said PTFest 2026 serves not only as a tourism promotion platform but also as a medium to introduce the rich culture, heritage, gastronomy and tourism products of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang to a wider audience.
He said the programme aligns with the aspirations of Visit Malaysia 2026, which aims to strengthen the country’s position as a preferred global tourism destination.
“Tourism Malaysia remains committed to working closely with state governments, industry players and local communities to develop sustainable, inclusive and high-impact tourism products that contribute to the people’s economy,” he said.
Apart from tourism exhibitions, visitors can enjoy cultural performances, traditional craft demonstrations, heritage food promotions and interactive activities showcasing the distinctive identity of the East Coast states.
The festival is also joined by travel agencies, hotels, theme parks, tourism product operators and online travel agents (OTAs), all offering exclusive deals and promotional packages throughout the event.
The selection of Ipoh as the host city reflects its status as one of Malaysia’s leading tourism destinations and a key gateway for visitors from the northern and central regions of the peninsula.
PTFest 2026 runs until June 21, with the public invited to visit the festival to obtain the latest tourism information and take advantage of the various promotions on offer.
