IPOH – Buoyed by domestic tourism, the city is looking to pivot from relying on its tin mining past and retirement haven for future growth.
Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin @ Md Daud said that Ipoh can neither sit on its past exploits as a mining haven nor as an affordable retirement destination as it has not helped the city to reach its growth potential.
Instead, the city will shift its focus towards the services sector by placing emphasis on tourism and manufacturing in the nearby Kinta Valley Industrial Estate.
He said this after a recent courtesy call from the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Kedah/Perlis delegation led by chairman Eugene Alan Dass.
Dass said MAH is keen to collaborate to market new destinations in the effort to make domestic tourism exciting since the industry is now dependent on local travellers.
The event was organised by Perak Industrial Resources Sdn Bhd marketing manager Hardeep Kaur Dhaliwal, who used to lead state-linked Destination Perak.
“We need to change our mindset. Covid-19 has taught us a lesson over how we manage our senior citizens as a number of them were infected, resulting in hardship,” said Rumaizi.
While encouraging more quality living for retirees here, he said that the plan is to transform Ipoh into a bustling city, full of young, energised people.
“It will also enliven the surroundings for senior citizens.”
Rumaizi will now be pushing for more air connectivity, creation of new tour packages and luring more investors to set up tourism products and hospitality properties.
Currently, there are air links to Langkawi (Kedah), Singapore and klia2 on a weekly basis.
Ipoh is keen to tap a connectivity of direct charter flights, which may come in from Langkawi and Penang, while also tailoring packages to capture the attention of domestic tourists.
Rumaizi said he will also encourage Sunway Group – the city’s biggest investor to date – to expand its tourist attractions and to allow an entertainment zone to be set up here.
He also wants to attract a huge number of Perakians who are working in Singapore.
The state is looking to entice them to set up small medium enterprises by providing a number of incentives.
“They have the capital and skills. Their transfer of technology and knowledge will benefit us. We need to aggressively tap into the services sector.”
He also wants to tap Ipoh’s location that is near top domestic destinations such as Cameron Highlands, Penang and Langkawi in Kedah.
Ipoh by reputation is known as a drive-through city where tourists stop over for meals and to purchase local delicacies before continuing their journey.
Meanwhile, Hardeep singled out Ipoh’s Gua Matsurat as an attraction and the reimposition of heritage, culture and arts, adding that 35km away from the attraction is Kuala Kangsar, which was recently elevated to a national heritage town.
There is also the national Kinta Valley geopark accreditation.
It was learnt that during the recent tourism reopening, the top two destinations were Cameron Highlands and Ipoh. – The Vibes, November 26, 2021
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