Pangkor's duty-free status expected to boost tourist arrivals
THE STAR
Wednesday, 01 Jan 20202:50 PM MYT
IPOH (Bernama): Pangkor Island’s new duty-free island status, effective Jan 1, is expected to boost tourist arrivals.
State Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Tan Kar Hing said this new status would encourage more tourists to visit the island this year.
Without disclosing the details, he said the number of tourist arrivals to the island over the last five years had declined, but he was confident that its duty-free status would boost the tourism sector.
"We view the new status of Pangkor as an interesting (development), and we expect it will help the island to return to its previous level (of popularity), ” he said when met by Bernama recently.
Touching on the island’s infrastructure, Tan said the state government would rope in the private sector to invest in, among other things, to build a big and comfortable shopping mall and a three-star hotel.
Tan said the state government also planned to upgrade the ferry service as well as the island’s famed pink taxis.
He said there was a sub-committee to handle this, and among the things under consideration was giving financial assistance in the form of loan to taxi operators and associations, as well as the possibility of giving licence to more ferry operators.
On the matter of duty-free items, he said the sale of liquor and cigarettes was still being negotiated between the state government and the Ministry of Finance.
According to him, there were currently three duty-free shops on the island.
He said he was aware of the complaints of locals about having to queue alongside tourists at the island's small jetty which was used for both cargo and passengers.
"I have already raised the issue, (suggesting) perhaps we can have a new policy to provide exit access for locals. But as of now, we have to use what we have, ” Tan said. – Bernama
Wednesday, 01 Jan 20202:50 PM MYT
IPOH (Bernama): Pangkor Island’s new duty-free island status, effective Jan 1, is expected to boost tourist arrivals.
State Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Tan Kar Hing said this new status would encourage more tourists to visit the island this year.
Without disclosing the details, he said the number of tourist arrivals to the island over the last five years had declined, but he was confident that its duty-free status would boost the tourism sector.
"We view the new status of Pangkor as an interesting (development), and we expect it will help the island to return to its previous level (of popularity), ” he said when met by Bernama recently.
Touching on the island’s infrastructure, Tan said the state government would rope in the private sector to invest in, among other things, to build a big and comfortable shopping mall and a three-star hotel.
Tan said the state government also planned to upgrade the ferry service as well as the island’s famed pink taxis.
He said there was a sub-committee to handle this, and among the things under consideration was giving financial assistance in the form of loan to taxi operators and associations, as well as the possibility of giving licence to more ferry operators.
On the matter of duty-free items, he said the sale of liquor and cigarettes was still being negotiated between the state government and the Ministry of Finance.
According to him, there were currently three duty-free shops on the island.
He said he was aware of the complaints of locals about having to queue alongside tourists at the island's small jetty which was used for both cargo and passengers.
"I have already raised the issue, (suggesting) perhaps we can have a new policy to provide exit access for locals. But as of now, we have to use what we have, ” Tan said. – Bernama
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