IPOH: Close to 10,000 people have visited Pangkor since the interstate travel ban was lifted last Monday.

       Perak committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said 9,888 tourists from all over the country travelled to the island from Oct 11 to 16.

       Nolee Ashilin said she believes that more people will visit Pangkor in the coming weeks as the state hopes to see the tourism industry there rejuvenated.

       “As the announcement (on lifting the interstate travel ban) was made last week, we believe most Malaysians would return to their hometown to visit their family first.

       “The number (of tourists) will improve in the next few weeks,” she told a press conference after visiting the Marina Island and Lumut jetties to check on standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance yesterday.

       Nolee Ashilin said the number of visitors to the island from Perak alone has also doubled.

       “Since inter-district travel was allowed in August, Pangkor has received 6,430 visitors.

       “In September, the number of tourists doubled to 12,879,” she added.

       She also said Pangkor has recorded a hotel occupancy rate of 78%, the highest in the state.

       “This is followed by Taiping and Ipoh with 56% and 50% occupancy rates respectively.

       “Other areas like Manjung, Tapah, Tanjung Malim and Kuala Kangsar have recorded about a 46% occupancy rate.

       “The figures make the tourism industry confident that more tourists would be expected to visit the state in the coming weeks and this will rejuvenate the industry,” she added.

       Nolee Ashilin also reminded all industry players not to be lax on following the SOP.

       “All players are to ensure that adherence to the SOP is their main focus.

       “We also urge tourists to cooperate and observe the SOP for the benefit of all parties,” she said.