Pulau Tioman, an island of the famed legend of two dragons appears to have charmed European tourists as they made up more than half of the foreign visitors here last year.
In 2014, more than 57 per cent or 18,886 foreign tourists out of the 33,090 foreigners who came to the island were visitors from Europe with a large number of them from Germany.
Tioman Development Authority (TDA) general manager Datuk Hashim Mat Tahir told Bernama the rest comprised Germans (5,734), French (4,730), British (4,384), Indians (3,886), Chinese (3,519), Australians (2,764), Americans (2,458), Dutch (2,362), Swedes (1,680) and Iranians (1,573).
Overall, the island received 268,784 visitors last year, a 16 per cent increase from 232,102 in 2013 while in 2012, there were 214,482 tourist arrivals, he said.
However, domestic visitors and those from ASEAN made up 82 per of the overall total in 2014.
Hashim said the number of tourists to the island could be further increased if there were alternative modes of transportation to Pulau Tioman apart from the ferry service from Tanjung Gemok, here or Mersing in Johor.
"About 95.5 per cent of the visitors use the ferry while 4.5 per cent came by air. However the ferry service is disrupted during the monsoon season from November to January," he said.
He said many were however not aware that Pulai Tioman which is located in the South China Sea has its own airport in Kampung Tekek with a 992-metre runway.
"There was a regular air service to Pulau Tioman operated by Berjaya Air using a De Havilland Dash 7 aircraft with a capacity for 48 passengers but it was discontinued due to the high cost of maintenance and the production of aircraft has stopped.
"For the time being, the charter air service provided by Systematic Aviation Services (SAS) from Subang or Senai, is rather costly as it is based on request," he said.
Therefore, to ensure tourist arrivals all year round, the late Rompin MP, Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis had proposed extending the island's airport runway, he said.
Hashim said Jamaluddin saw the runway if extended could accommodate the ATR-72 aircraft used by several low-cost carriers in the country to land directly in Pulau Tioman.
Many however have questioned if there were tourists who wish to visit when the sea is rough and Hashim was quick to reply that some tourists actually looked forward to the monsoon season waves for surfing.
For accommodation, there are 2,089 rooms provided by 78 resorts at Salang, Air Batang, Tekek, Paya, Genting, Mukut and Juara in which 50 per cent are categorised as luxury, 30 per cent moderate and 20 per cent are budget rooms.
"TDA in its effort to improve and raise the standard of existing accommodation to ensure the comfort of visitors, will expand the number of luxury hotels as a lure for international tourists," he said.
Hashim said apart from enjoying the beauty of 29 kilometres of sandy beaches and sea at warm temperature, tourists could also carry out activities such as snorkelling to marvel at 183 species of coral reefs and various types of fish in the waters of Pulau Tioman.
"One can also go trekking to the waterfall and view the wildlife of the island which included 33 species of mammals, 67 species of birds, 21 types of lizards, and 17 species of amphibians.
"For those who love outdoor and extreme experience, there is rock climbing at Kampung Juara and Kampung Mukut," he said, adding that development at Pulau Tioman was being carried out carefully to preserve its ecological system.
Bernama
Fri Apr 24 2015
Overall, Pulau Tioman received 268,784 visitors last year, a 16 per cent increase from 232,102 in 2013 while in 2012, there were 214,482 tourist arrivals.
90 kes jenayah seksual direkod di Kelantan dalam tempoh empat bulan
Polis Kelantan merekodkan 90 kes jenayah seksual di negeri itu dalam tempoh empat bulan pertama tahun ini.
‘Saya berdoa agar tuhan satukan kami'
Kelahirannya di dunia disambut tanpa pelukan erat kedua orang tuanya. Kezaliman berterusan tentera rejim Zionis sekaligus mengubah takdir hidup bayi Palestin yang diberi nama Yehia Hamuda ini. Malah dia yang belum mengenal erti dunia, kini dilindungi di Hospital Al-Emirati di Rafah.
AWANI Ringkas: Culan bayar cukai LHDN | Penjenamaan semula
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Kontrak Projek Central Spine Road bernilai RM232 juta diberi kepada Nepturis - Saksi
Berkenaan projek-projek di bawah program Jana Wibawa, Mohamed Fauzi memaklumkan pihak KKR tidak menentukan sebarang projek untuk dimasukkan ke dalam program berkenaan.
Sultan Nazrin dilantik Pengerusi MKI bagi tempoh dua tahun
Sultan Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Malaysia (MKI) bagi tempoh dua tahun berkuat kuasa 9 Mac 2024 hingga 8 Mac 2026.
Fungsi JAKIM, Kementerian Perpaduan Negara berbeza - Mohd Na'im
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Agama) Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar menegaskan fungsi Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) adalah berbeza dengan Kementerian Perpaduan Negara (KPN).
Wira negara, damailah anda di sana
Satu negara bersimpati, bersedih dengan perginya pejuang yang telah banyak berjasa buat Malaysia. Bingkisan ini, istimewa buat semua wira yang kini berada di negara abadi.
Indeks utama Bursa Malaysia turun 0.42 peratus susulan pengambilan untung
Pada 5 petang, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) turun 6.69 mata atau 0.42 peratus kepada 1,575.97 daripada paras penutup 1,582.66 pada Isnin.
Lelaki berpedang serang orang awam di London, lima cedera
Dalam insiden yang berlaku pada jam 7 pagi waktu tempatan, lima mangsa termasuk dua pegawai polis dikejarkan ke hospital berdekatan susulan serangan berkenaan.
Letusan Gunung Ruang: Operasi Lapangan Terbang Sam Ratulangi dihentikan sementara
Abu akibat letusan itu memenuhi kawasan lapangan terbang, dengan penumpang dilihat memakai topeng muka.
Negara maju harus tundukkan 'ego' dan bekerjasama dengan ASEAN - Penganalisis
Menurut Faisal, ini kerana negara membangun di ASEAN sedang mencorak ekonomi ke arah lebih mampan yang perlu dimanfaatkan negara maju
PM Vietnam cadang ASEAN jadi model transformasi digital global
Perdana Menteri Vietnam mencadangkan orientasi kejayaan untuk menjadikan ASEAN sebagai model dalam transformasi digital di peringkat global.
Malaysia muncul destinasi utama pengembangan perniagaan di ASEAN - Kajian UOB
Malaysia telah muncul sebagai negara paling penting dalam ASEAN untuk diceburi perniagaan, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh Kajian Tinjauan Perniagaan UOB 2024 (PKS & Perusahaan Besar).
Malaysia perlu masa untuk teliti cadangan visa bersama enam negara ASEAN
Malaysia memerlukan lebih masa untuk meneliti cadangan Thailand mengenai program visa bersama dengan enam negara ASEAN lain.
Konflik Myanmar: ASEAN tegas kepentingan laksana Konsensus Lima Perkara
ASEAN tegaskan semula komitmen bantu Myanmar cari penyelesaian dengan mewujudkan persekitaran kondusif melalu pelaksanaan Konsensus Lima Perkara.
Ringgit ditutup rendah berbanding dolar AS
Pada 6 petang, ringgit merosot kepada 4.7785/7815 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.7680/7730 semasa ditutup pada Jumaat.
Malaysia sedia jadi hab pusat untuk Pejabat Keluarga di ASEAN
ASEAN semakin mendapat fokus daripada firma pejabat keluarga berikutan kestabilan ekonomi dan pertumbuhan di rantau ini.
LRT Pulau Pinang: Mobiliti, pemangkin pelancongan dan tidak ancam perkhidmatan feri
Pelaksanaan projek LRT Laluan Mutiara Pulau Pinang, dilihat sebagai pengangkutan alternatif penduduk negeri ini bagi mengatasi masalah trafik.
Jenama “Kuasa Tenaga Boleh Diperbaharui Asia” bakal lonjak Sarawak ke persada global - Abang Jo
Abang Johari Tun Openg berkata, Sarawak berpotensi menjadi hab inisiatif peralihan kepada penggunaan tenaga tanpa karbon ketika dunia bergerak ke arah -net-zero- menjelang 2050.
ASEAN: Saifuddin gesa Malaysia lebih proaktif tangani isu Myanmar
Usaha proaktif akan membolehkan Malaysia membentuk persekitaran yang aman dan inklusif dalam rantau ASEAN.