A STUDY OF THE PANGKOR ISLAND AS A CENTRE OF MARINE TOURISM

Abstract

Tourism industry has the potential to generate income, create employment, promote development and strengthen linkages among different sectors in the country. But there are some issues which revolve around developing the marine tourism sectors such as insufficient facilities, accessibility, environmental damages, and cost. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the potentials of an island as a center of marine tourism from the perspective of the tourists who visit the island. This study was conducted on Pangkor Island, a popular tourist island destination in Perak, Malaysia. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 83 tourists who visited the island. Two personnel at the Perak State Office in charge of the Tourism Sector were interviewed to identify the challenges and strategies in developing the island as a major tourist attraction. Despite the challenges, numerous strategies have been put in place to develop this island as a center of marine tourism. The responses from the respondents of the survey also agreed that Pangkor Island does have the potentials to be developed into a major marine tourist center.