Perak Tourism Awards 2015 Gala Night

With a glittery black and white theme, the Perak Tourism Awards 2015 gala night was an impressive affair that gave due recognition to industry players in the state for their hard work in the past year.

Perak has received the highest number of domestic tourists in the country for three consecutive years; 5.6 million in 2012, 6.01 million in 2013 and 7 million in 2014. In 2014 alone, a total of RM2 billion tourist receipts were received.

The state government’s target for 2015 was 5.5 million tourists and it had been met. With convenient accessibility via the North-South Expressway, rail and increasingly by air, Perak is definitely a major tourist destination in Malaysia.

Also, with the weak Ringgit, we are also earning from international tourists who find us really affordable. While destinations such as Ipoh, Taiping and Manjung remain popular, other more rural areas are becoming known to tourists as community-based tourism is being further explored.

With all these factors, tourism is certainly a major economic contributor to Perak. This is reflected in the growth of the industry within the state. In 2014, the total number of hotels in Perak was 177. The following year, it increased to 190, up by an impressive 6.8%.

Perak is a state worth investing in, as proven by Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS). We are all looking forward to its opening, scheduled for May 2016. As the first animation theme park in Southeast Asia, it is going to be a gem in attracting visitors to the state.

At the event, guest-of-honour Menteri Besar Perak YAB Dato’ Seri DiRaja Dr Zambry Abd. Kadir reminded us of two things: to think out of the box and to think big. “There’s no use thinking out of the box but think small,” he said, continuing, “Think strategically on how to promote Perak internationally. Don’t compete with other states such as Selangor and Penang. Perak has its own uniqueness.”

During the dinner, Zambry also unveiled further plans regarding the 172.5ha T-City which will feature a Formula 2 circuit.

The gala night saw the presentation of 23 awards for various categories. Here is the full list of the winners:

Best Hotel (100 rooms and above) – Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites
Best Hotel (below 100 rooms) – M Boutique Hotel
Best Resort – Pangkor Sandy Beach Resort
Best Homestay – Homestay Maju Manik, Teluk Intan
Best Tourism Product – Taiping Zoo & Night Safari
Tourism Product with Best Potential – Syamille Agro Farm & Resort
Best Tourism Event – Pesta Laut Pangkor 2014
Most Innovative Government Agency – Jabatan Perancang Bandar & Desa Negeri Perak
Most Innovative Local Government – Majlis Perbandaran Kuala Kangsar
Most Innovative Corporate Company – Spritzer Berhad
Most Innovative Organisation – Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) Perak
Best Transporter – Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad
Best Tour Guide – Jusri Mohd. Yusof (Nature Guide)
Most Innovative Media – Harian Metro
Best Craft Entrepreneur – Mohd. Azmi Mohd. Nopiah
Best Restaurant – Tandoor Grill
Most Popular Restaurant – Restoran Nasi Lemak Ayam Kampung
Most Popular Food Product – Aun Kheng Lim salted chicken
Best Tourism Video – Kuala Gula Big Sanctuary by Perak Wildlife Department (Jabatan Perhilitan Negeri Perak)
Special Award – Jabatan Warisan Negara (Zon Tengah)
Special Award (Personality) – Dato’ Prof. Emeritus Dr. Abdul Latiff Mohamed
Special Award (Personality) – Dato’ Hj. Mohd. Roshidi Hj. Hashim
Special Award (Personality) – Khairil Aslan Abdul Rasid

Congratulations to all of you! May we continue to join forces to propel Perak further in global tourism.

Event: Perak Tourism Award 2015 Gala Night
Venue: Kinta Riverfront Hotel, Ipoh
Date: 13th Nov, 2015
Time: 8pm

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