IPOH, June 29 — The Hop-On Hop-Off bus service in the Ipoh city area which began on March 23 and had been well-received, needs to be expanded to attract more local and foreign visitors.

Stating this last night, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the frequency of the service needed to be increased because it currently operates on a limited schedule such as the weekends.

He was speaking at a press conference in conjunction with a dinner here in conjunction with the 2019 Perak Media Convoy programme organised by the Information Department — the programme which is held from yesterday to Monday will see 23 media practitioners visiting places of attraction in Perak.

Ahmad Faizal said the state government was also in the midst of increasing its programmes aimed at attracting more tourists to Perak, with efforts focused on Ipoh city because it had the potential to serve as a focal point from which tourists could make day trips to other places of attraction in the state such as Lenggong, Pasir Salak and Lumut.

He added that a very encouraging response had been received for the sale of tickets for Pangkor Island flights which would resume operations on October 1.

With the flight, the Mentri Besar is also confident that the number of local tourist arrivals to the state, especially from Kuala Lumpur and Penang, would see a dramatic increase compared to other states. — Bernama