KUANTAN, Aug 18 — The number of tourist arrivals to main tourist destinations in Pahang has seen a decline from January to March this year.

State Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said among the affected tourist destinations were Genting Highlands, National Park and Tioman Island.

“The number of tourist arrivals in the first quarter this year has dropped by 9.8 per cent to 1.93 million from 2.14 million arrivals recorded in the corresponding period last year.

“It might have been caused by several factors including the tragedy which had befallen Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370,” he said in reply to Sim Chon Siang (PKR-Teruntum) at the state assembly sitting here today.

Sim had wanted to know whether the MH370 tragedy had affected the number of tourist arrivals, especially from China, Australia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, to Pahang.

Mohd Sharkar said the number, however, was expected to see an increase from April to October as study showed that it was the peak period for Pahang tourist arrivals every year.

He said the trend for tourist arrivals to Pahang was influenced by various factors, including weather condition and holiday season, as well as tourism products and packages offered by the industry players.

Several measures had also been taken by the Tourism Malaysia Office in Pahang to increase the number of tourist arrivals to the state, including by paying courtesy calls on tourism industry players and agents in other countries to promote and sell Malaysian tourism packages, he said.

At state level, he said various promotional campaign had also been organised by Tourism Malaysia and Pahang Tourism Committee. — Bernama