By Aida Aziz
IPOH: Industry players in this state are encouraged to take over old buildings and convert them into accommodations or hotels.
The Chairman of Tourism, Industry, Investment, and Perak Corridor Development, Loh Sze Yee, said this need is crucial to accommodate the increasing number of tourists to the state, given the insufficient lodging.
He mentioned that Perak, which has long been synonymous with amateur tourism, needs to shift towards professionalism.
“We want to become a professional tourism state where tourists come every day.
“The issue in Perak now is that when tourists come to Ipoh for the day, they end up sleeping in Penang or Kuala Lumpur due to inadequate hotels or accommodations.
“To encourage tourists to come, we ensure suitable rooms for families, individuals, or foreigners. So when they come here, they don’t stay in other states,” he said here today.
Sze Yee added that they are currently in discussions with relevant parties to make this effort successful.
“There is indeed a shortage of accommodation in Perak, we need more construction or establishment of accommodations.
“When it comes to construction, there are delays as it takes around two years.
“So, there is a need to find interested parties to take over existing old buildings, just renovate and turn them into hotels.
“We, in the tourism and Tourism Perak sectors, will assist in marketing these hotels; of course, we will assist because they have invested for the sake of the state’s tourism,” he said.
