Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival has successfully attracted over 670,000 visitors, including participants from 56 countries, says Malaysian Kite Council president Datuk A. Rahim Nin (pic).
He said the event, held between Feb 4 and 8, has changed significantly since its inaugural edition in 1995.
“The event was first held as a way to promote Pasir Gudang, which was then only a small fishing village.
“The government wanted to turn it into an industrial area and the event was part of an effort to put Pasir Gudang on the map.
“Now, over 31 years later, we can see that it has managed to do that and beyond,” he told StarMetro.
The growth of the festival has been exponential over the last three decades, added Rahim.
“When it was first held, we got participants from only five countries and the numbers have increased 10 times.
“For the first time ever, we have people participating from all continents, except for Antarctica,” said Rahim.
“The achievement was timely as it is also in line with efforts to promote the state.”
Rahim said the festival, which was endorsed by the Malaysia Book of Records this year, played a vital role in promoting the state in alignment with Visit Johor 2026 campaign.
It was recognised for having the highest number of countries participating in a kite-flying event, hosting approximately 155 international participants from 56 nations.
This surpassed the festival’s previous record set in 2015, which saw entries from 49 countries.
The Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival has since transformed into a landmark annual affair.
While it has become a staple of the local calendar, the event’s history includes temporary pauses, having been cancelled during the 1997 Asian economic crisis and the more recent Covid-19 pandemic.
