IPOH: Despite ongoing plans to transform Ipoh Old Town into a historical and multicultural enclave, old structures in the area will not be demolished.
Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said it was part of efforts to promote domestic tourism and prepare the state capital for Visit Perak 2023.
Rumaizi said the Ipoh City Council (MBI) was upgrading the Ipoh Tourism Triangle to revive the local tourism industry to attract local and foreign tourists.
He said the facades of the buildings would be preserved except for the interiors, which would be modernised according to current trends.
"In Ipoh Old Town, our focus will be divided into two aspects. One is related to heritage tourism and the other is the 'hipster concept'.
"We will focus on these aspects to attract more tourists to the state.
"We have gazetted old buildings in Ipoh Old Town, so we must preserve them.
"In London, for example, all of the facades of the old buildings are retained but not the interior parts.
"(Some of) the hotels and lodgings here will be redesigned using the same concept," he told a press conference after attending a Chinese New Year bazaar in Lorong Seni @ Lorong Panglima, here, today.
Ipoh Old Town is the original part of Ipoh City that was developed in the 1880s.
The Ipoh Tourism Triangle encompasses Gunung Lang, Taman Dr Seenivasagam and Ipoh Padang, as well as Ipoh Old Town, Masjid Paloh and Kampung Kuchai.
Rumaizi said the Ipoh Tourism Triangle plan would be completed in 2025, with ongoing upgrades and renovations.
"Most of the funding comes from private initiatives, the government and the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority."
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