KUALA TERENGGANU: Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin wants the state government to expand the tourism sector to provide a long term revenue alternative to the oil and gas sectors.
"Cleanliness, services and safety must be given priority at all tourist spots to give visitors maximum satisfaction," he said when opening the fifth session of the 13th State Assembly today.
Among the projects that should be emphasised in the Terengganu Tourism Development Plan include strengthening tourism and heritage products, upgrading resort islands and the development of state parks.
The sultan pointed out that state parks have the potential to contribute to the tourism sector, and singled out the Setiu Wetlands, the first state park.
Sultan Mizan also wants plans to develop Tasik Kenyir as a duty-free zone and new tourism spots in the lake to continue because these projects could create jobs and business opportunities for the people, especially locals.
He also hoped that the state government would achieve its target of attracting 5.5 million visitors during the Visit Beautiful Terengganu 2017 campaign.