PADANG BESAR: Tourism Malaysia today launched the Perlis Ecotourism Package, to introduce the state as one of the ecotourism destinations in Malaysia, thus energising the Visit Perlis Year 2024-2025 campaign.
Tourism Malaysia director-general, Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar, said that the launch of the ecotourism package was also a preparation to promote Visit Malaysia Year, which sets a target of 26.1 million foreign tourists, with an estimated domestic expenditure of RM97.6 billion.
“This package is an initiative to introduce ecotourism activities available in Perlis to tourists. This is also to support sustainable tourism, in line with the recent declaration of Perlis as a national geopark, known as Perlis Geopark,” he said, in a media statement in conjunction with the launch of the ecotourism package today.
The ecotourism package was launched by the Tourism Malaysia Domestic and Events Division senior director, Mohamed Amin Yahya, who represented the director-general at the Gua Kelam Gallery, near here.
Ammar said that a total of 41 Perlis ecotourism packages have been developed by eight tour operators, with package bookings and trips which can be made until Dec 31, 2024, while some packages have travel validity until March 31, 2025.
“To add more attractions, there is a package which offers a discount of up to 10 per cent from the original price,” he said, adding that various interesting activities are offered through the ecotourism package, such as cave exploration, cycling, kayaking and catamaran sailing in the lake and taking a dip at the waterfall.
He said that the ecotourism package also highlighted other tourist attractions in Perlis, such as Wan Kelian Viewpoint, Tasik Timah Tasoh, Bukit Ayer Waterfall, Bukit Keteri, Gua Kelam, Nakawan Range, Kenaf Farm, Gua Wang Burma, Gunung Medan and Tasik Melati.
Earlier, in his speech text, which was read by Mohamed Amin, Ammar said that ecotourism is a special interest activity which promotes sustainable and responsible tourism, in line with the government’s desire to make Malaysia a ‘Top of the Mind Ecotourism Destination of the World’.
“This aspiration is also in line with Malaysia’s commitment to Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), under the United Nations,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said that the number of domestic tourists was recorded as 171.6 million people last year, compared with 66 million people in 2021, which is an increase of 160.1 per cent, with a total expenditure of RM64.1 billion compared with the previous year of RM18.4 billion.
“Perlis recorded 710,991 tourist arrivals in 2022, and this is a good achievement based on the existing tourism products. It is hoped that with this Perlis ecotourism package, tourist arrivals for 2024 and 2025 will surge,” he said.–Bernama
