Terengganu aims to double tourist arrivals

Under the umbrella of the East Coast Economic Region, Terengganu wants to double the number of holidaymakers visiting the state to 3.5 million this year from 1.83 million in 2005, focusing on big spenders during the Visit Terengganu Year 2008 (VTY08).

“Higher-spending tourists will bring in more revenue as they usually stay and spend twice as much as the average tourist,” said a source from Terengganu Tourism Development Board, in outlining its marketing strategy for this year after encouraging visitor numbers last year.

“The VTY08 promotional campaign can be considered as the initial step to a more integrated effort globally. Traditionally, domestic tourists are bigger in number than those from overseas. We hope more holidaymakers from overseas will have the state in their itinerary,” he added.

Some 2.5 million visited Terengganu by the end of October last year, suggesting that the targeted 2.8 million visitors for 2007 was within reach. In 2006, 2.3 million visitors came to the state.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh launched VTY08 simultaneously with the declaration of Kuala Terengganu as a city, the 12th in the country, on Jan 2 this year.

The Terengganu Tourism Development Board source said a RM10mil budget had been allocated for the promotion of VTY08.

Source : STAR
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