Month-Long Kenyir Festival To Attract 150,000 Tourists

photo: www.ketengah.gov.my

HULU TERENGGANU, April 29 (Bernama) -- The month-long 2014 Kenyir Festival at Pangkalan Gawi which kicked off today with 85 events is expected to attract about 150,000 visitors.

State Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee said more visitors would be flocking to the festival this year as there were additional attractive events. The state government and the Terengganu Tengah Development Authority (Ketengah) had been organising the festival over two weeks every year where between 35,000 and 40,000 people attended.

He was speaking to reporters after a visit to the festival site and release of a landmark balloon to signify the start of 2014 Kenyir Festival. Also present was Ketengah general manager Wan Mat Amin Wan Daud. Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said is expected to open the festival on Sunday.

Among the highlights of the festival were Kenyir Helicopter Ride, Kenyir Cruise and visit to Kelah Sanctuary.

Mohd Jidin said visitors could also check out the Kenyir Elephant Village, the flying fox, Kenyir Island Hoping, exhibition by government departments and the private sector, promotion by local entrepreneurs, entertainment, direct factory sales and so on. He said in conjunction with the 2014 Visit Malaysia Year, Tasik Kenyir is targeting to attract more than 500,000 visitors while tourists visiting Terengganu this year could reach about five million people.

"We will be improving Tasik Kenyir from time to time especially in preparation for the resort to be declared a tax-free area in September next year. "Other facilities that needed improvement were places of accommodation and a bridge linking the islands in the lake to ease movement of visitors," he said.
-bernama.