Perlis to set up special body to manage tourism affairs - MB

KANGAR: The Perlis government will establish a special body known as Perlis Tourism to oversee and manage tourism affairs in the state, including the Perlis Geopark, Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli said.

He said this is in response to the growing tourism industry, and the State Secretary’s Office is in the process of finalising appointments, office facilities and other necessities for this organisation.

“Perlis Tourism will operate under the supervision of the State Economic Planning Unit at the State Government Administrative Complex for six months before being established as an entity under the Perlis State Secretary Incorporation,” he said during a gathering with state civil servants at Dewan 2020 here today.

He also anticipated that Perlis Tourism would be fully operational in July and hoped that it would help to elevate the state’s tourism to the global level.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shukri said that in line with the Visit Perlis Year 2024-2025, the state government has lined up various exciting programmes to attract tourists to the state, such as Pesta Angin Timur, Water Festival, Perlis Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Day and Perlis Marathon.

“The implementation of Visit Perlis Year is expected to bring economic benefits to entrepreneurs and locals, especially in agrotourism locations such as ‘belacan madu’ Sungai Berembang, the Harumanis Mango Excellence Centre, Perlis Herbal Forest, Agrovet Park, Timah Tasoh Freshwater Fish Sanctuary, and Superfruits Valley in Chuping.

“I have also been informed that tourist arrivals exceeded 100,000 people in December 2023. As of October 2023, tourist arrivals have surpassed 3.2 million,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Shukri said the state government aims to establish the Perlis Biodiversity Centre to serve as a biodiversity hub in the northern region in an effort to optimise the state’s potential.

“This is a sign of the state government’s support in strengthening the enforcement of the Access to Biological Resources and Benefit Sharing Act 2017, thus preserving the nation’s biological resources. A working visit has been conducted by agencies and the community to Sarawak and Sabah to study the management of this biodiversity centre,” he added. - Bernama