KUANTAN: “Never get lost in Pahang again.”
This is the motto of a newly-launched application for Visit Pahang Malaysia, which aims to act as the single go-to reference for tourists keen on learning more about places of interest in the state, and want to plan every step of their itinerary during their visit there.
The application, now available for free on smartphones’ via Apple Store and Google Play Store, features an exhaustive list of potential tourist attractions under various categories, such as beaches (Teluk Chempedak, here) and highlands (Genting Highlands, Bentong).
It also lists and allows for booking of transportation services for air travel offered by MAS, railway travel by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) and express buses.
In officially launching the application at a restaurant here yesterday, state tourism and culture committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin described the user-friendly application as a vital boost to the state government's drive to bring in more tourists this year.
"In 2014, the state attracted 9.4 million visitors; in 2015 there were 10.5 million visitors; and last year, 12 million visitors. We are targeting 15 million visitors this year," he said.
Mohd Sharkar said Pahang has 1.5 million smartphone users, so even having just a few users downloading the application and sharing it with others would spread the word about the state and draw in visitors from outside Pahang.
He also noted that tourists spent around RM6.5 billion in the state last year, and that the state government now aims to attract up to RM10 billion in receipts this year.
The application was developed and is being managed by Media Venture Partners.