Terengganu's Lake Kenyir anticipates more tourists

The Terengganu state government is preparing for a surge in visitors to Lake Kenyir, the largest man-made lake in South-east Asia. As such, major developments are in the pipeline to create a viable and attractive tourist destination. Several three- to four-stars hotels are being developed on some of the 340 islands on the lake, including a luxury hotel on Pulau Poh, linked by a new cable car facility from Pengkalan Gawi jetty. There are also plans to turn one of the islands into a duty-free haven next year.

Terengganu chief minister Ahmad Said, at the launch of the Kenyir Festival earlier this month, said: “We are seeing a greater appreciation for nature among visitors, so the lake is a definite draw for the state.” Over 200,000 tourists visited Lake Kenyir last year, an increase from 160,000 in 2009. The visitors were mainly from Singapore, China and Arabic countries.

Anthony Wong, group managing director, Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel, said: “It’s natural to see an increase in Chinese visitors to Lake Kenyir, as many of them live far from nature, and thus enjoy being close to oceans, lakes and forests.”
-TTG Asia.