MELAKA, Jan 11 — The Melaka River and Coastal Development Corporation (PPSPM) targets to collect RM25 million this year from 1.2 million tourists taking the Melaka River Cruise (MCR).

State Tourism, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis said last year over one million tourists paid a total of RM20 million for the cruise.

In conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VM2020), PPSPM has been holding monthly lucky draws since August last year, he said, noting that the annual Cruise & Win lucky draws have been held since 2017.

Last December, RM306,933 was collected in the December monthly lucky draws, while the Cruise & Win draws took in RM490,724 in 2019, he said at the Melaka Grand Cultural Festival 2019 appreciation ceremony here today.

Muhammad Jailani said PPSPM is also beautifying the lamps along the Melaka River and replacing old boats with new ones in the bid to attract more tourists.

He said the state government is also upgrading Melaka’s tourism products and infrastructure to help the federal government achieve its goal of welcoming 30 million tourists to the country and registering RM100 billion in tourism receipts by 2020. — Bernama