Ipoh: Domestic overnight tourist arrivals to Perak increased from 10.2 million in 2024 to 10.4 million last year, said state Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Loh Sze Yee. He stated that international tourist arrivals, however, dropped by about 1.5 per cent last year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the decrease in international tourist arrivals was attributed to the lack of flights on the Singapore-Ipoh route and the global oil crisis, which also affected the aviation industry. Loh shared these insights with reporters after attending the Pantai Timur Fest 2026, which was organized by Tourism Malaysia and officiated by its director-general, Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim.

Previously, Malaysia's Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin reported that Selangor was the most visited state by domestic travelers last year with 36.4 million visitors, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 35.1 million, and Perak with 23.6 million visitors.

Meanwhile, Mohd Amirul Rizal mentioned in his speech that Ipoh was chosen to host the Pantai Timur Fest 2026 due to its strategic position as a major tourist destination in the country. The event highlighted the uniqueness of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang to visitors from various regions of Peninsular Malaysia.

The Pantai Timur Fest 2026 featured 30 exhibition booths showcasing tourism industry operators from Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, including travel agencies, hotels, theme parks, tourism product owners, and online travel agents. The festival offered a range of tourism products and experiences, along with cultural performances, traditional craft demonstrations, heritage food promotions, and interactive activities. Special offers and discounts on travel packages were made available in support of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.