Initiatives to boost tourism in Langkawi

KUALA LUMPUR: Langkawi Development Authority (Lada), which is tasked to coordinate all efforts under the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint (2011-2015), is looking through 77 initiatives for implementation on the duty-free island.

Lada chief executive officer Tan Sri Khalid Ramli said the authority has set up a delivery management office to monitor and keep track of the implementation progress of the initiatives.

"The initiatives involve various aspects, including connectivity, flight schedules and matters pertaining to direct flights to the island, transportation and services, among others," he said, adding that the initiatives have had a positive impact on the people in Langkawi.

Speaking to reporters after the handing over of Lada's sponsorship of the Langkawi International Fishing Tournament 2012 to Joran, a unit of Berita Harian, here yesterday, Khalid said of the 77 initiatives, 15 are almost at the completion stage while others are at various stages.
"We hope in the next two or three months, we will see the physical works on some of these initiatives. Some are already completed and implemented like the board walks, which have been developed on several Langkawi islands," he said.

Khalid said the blueprint has managed to attract private investors, especially those who want to set up hotels and provide tourism-related products and services.

Under the blueprint, Langkawi is to woo investments up to RM5 billion, three million tourists and generate a revenue of RM3.8 billion by 2015.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak launched the blueprint in December last year, with the aim to bring about a major transformation on the island where the people will benefit from its development.

Najib had said that the initiatives outlined under the blueprint represented the government's pledges to the people, which were translated into systematic plans, supported by a RM420 million allocation announced in Budget 2012. The blueprint incorporates development programmes for the period 2011-2015 and contains initiatives covering three themes, namely products, infrastructure and enablers.