Perak aims to attract tourists from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and southern China for Visit Malaysia 2026, focusing on nature, wellness and night-time activities.
IPOH: Perak is targeting tourists from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and southern China for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
State Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said these neighbouring countries were identified as primary targets due to their proximity and ease of access.
He said the state, which has strong domestic tourism, also requires the presence of tourists from neighbouring countries.
“Thailand is a market we’ve been engaging with for several years, and we frequently receive familiarisation (fam) trips from tourism players there,” he told reporters after a networking programme with Perak tourism industry players.
Loh added that since last year, the state has been actively organising fam trips for Indonesia, calling it a natural extension for the overseas market.
He noted Singapore is also a key target, as it is the origin of Perak’s only international flight.
“So our main targets now are Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and southern China, because tourists from the northern part are unlikely to come here,” he said.
Apart from facilities, Loh encouraged tourism operators to expand night-time activities to enhance the visitor experience.
He cited the example of Ipoh old town, where many cafés run by young entrepreneurs have created spaces for people to gather.
“In other places, we can introduce activities such as river excursions, as well as village and forest explorations,” he said.
Loh stressed it is important to fill the hours from after dinner until bedtime with engaging activities.
He added that besides Perak’s strength in nature-based tourism, the state is also developing wellness tourism to attract more visitors.
The networking programme also celebrated the appointment of the new Tourism Perak chief executive officer, Suhaimi Abu Hassan Shari.
Tourism Perak outlined its new strategic direction under the new leadership during the session.
The event provided a platform for two-way interaction between management and industry players to exchange views and identify collaboration opportunities.
