Terengganu to attract more tourists

HULU TERENGGANU: The Terengganu government aims to draw more than 350,000 tourists to Lake Kenyir this year. Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said it was a realistic aim as some 200,000 tourists had visited the famous lake compared to 160,000 in 2009. “Tourists prefer to experience the wonders of nature while staying a few nights here.

Natural wonder: The scenic Pulau Bayas in Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu.

“The lake is definitely a major tourist destination for the state,” he said after launching the Kenyir Festival in Pengkalan Gawi, Lake Kenyir here recently. Ahmad added that tourists from Singapore, China and Arabic countries were frequent visitors at Kenyir. He added the state is also planning major developments for the lake in order to cement its status as a world-class tourist destination.

“We are planning to build a duty-free island by next year. “It will be the main project in Lake Kenyir, which encompasses tourism, business and hospitality as part of its appeal to tourists,” he said. He added hotels with three to five stars status would also be built at some of the islands in Lake Kenyir to accommodate the influx of tourists. “We will start with building a luxury hotel in Pulau Poh. “A cable car facility from Pengkalan Gawi jetty to Pulau Poh is also in the pipeline,” he said.

-thestar online.