Loh says the plan to have more international direct flights to Ipoh requires cooperation from various parties including the airlines.
Perak government plans to have more direct international flights to the state to encourage foreign tourist arrivals in conjunction with Visit Perak Year (TMP) 2024 and boost its tourism industry.
State tourism, industry, investment and corridor development committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said that for Perak to be a popular tourist destination, it needed sustainable strategies.
“Take for example Vietnam. They have an airport that is more or less the same as the one we have in Ipoh (Sultan Azlah Shah Airport).
“We have to create an effective, cheap tourism package with good value,” he told a press conference after attending the Vietnam Air Batik Trip to Perak dinner in Ipoh.
Earlier, Loh welcomed 30 Vietnamese tourism industry players at a programme organised by Tourism Malaysia Ho Chi Minh City and Batik Air at the Lost World of Tambun.
He said the effort to get more direct flights to Ipoh would take time as the country had just recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This planning cannot happen overnight as it requires cooperation from various parties, including the airlines which previously faced difficulties due to Covid-19 restrictions,” he said, adding that it would also depend on the readiness and commitment of the airlines.
Perak is targeting eight million domestic tourists in conjunction with TMP 2024 and the state government is optimistic that it can be achieved with attractive tourism programmes.
TMP 2024 offers “Restorative and Conservation Tourism” aimed at stimulating revenue through tourism, which will be used to restore its ecology and environment. — Bernama
