MELAKA: In a unique initiative to experience holiday-making firsthand, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh stepped into the shoes of a tourist as he visited various popular attractions across the state.
The visit coincided with the Melaka government’s free-entry initiative, which granted complimentary access to 13 tourism spots in conjunction with the state holiday marking the Declaration of Independence of the Federation of Malaya on Thursday (Feb 20).
Speaking to reporters at the Taman Rempah Jetty here, Ab Rauf shared his observations on the seamless execution of the free-entry programme compared to the previous year when the initiative was first introduced.
“I observed the smoothness when visiting several tourist locations.
"This was achieved through improvements made to each tourism product in the second edition of the free-entry incentive,” he said.
He noted that the majority of visitors this year were locals, as the holiday was exclusive to the state.
"This is the perfect opportunity for Melakans to fully enjoy these tourist attractions for free and take advantage of this gift from the Melaka government to relax and spend quality time with their loved ones,” he added.
He said the state government aims to attract up to 70,000 visitors to enjoy these attractions by the end of the day.
By midday (Feb 20), more than 3,500 visitors had taken advantage of the free Melaka River Cruise rides at four designated jetties, namely at Taman Rempah, Dataran Pengkalan Rama, Quayside, and Melaka Sentral, here.
Other attractions also witnessed a significant turnout.
As of noon, Zoo Melaka recorded 7,900 visitors, the Melaka River Cruise saw 2,016, Eco Cruise Sungai Linggi had 51, and Menara Taming Sari welcomed 1,407 tourists.
Additionally, 3,502 people visited Melaka Museum, 4,195 enjoyed Melaka Wonderland, and 2,000 revelled in A’Famosa WaterWorld at Alor Gajah.
Other sites that drew crowds included the Prison Museum (1,047 visitors), Gadek Hot Springs Complex (1,042), Cherana Putih Hot Springs (225), Melaka Craft Complex (382), five golf clubs (464), and Melaka River Park (357).
