Kota bharu: Kelantan is targeting the arrival of one million international tourists this year, compared with only 595,000 in 2024, with a special focus on the Chinese and Japanese markets.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Md Nor remarked that last year's achievement of 10.5 million total tourist arrivals, which surpassed the 10-million target, serves as a catalyst to enhance the state's tourism sector. "If last year we managed to attract over 595,000 foreign tourists, bringing the overall total to 11.1 million, this time we want to draw even more international visitors to Kelantan," he stated during the 'Mmukat' Beach Festival at Pantai Impian Kemasin.

Kamaruddin emphasized that although the state may not be abundant in natural resources, it boasts natural beauty, beaches, and culture that offer a unique attraction. The festival aims to promote Bachok as a tourism town by transforming traditional fishermen's activities into experiential tourism products, thus attracting a wider array of international tourists.