Tourist quota for Redang, Malaysia

The Star 4 May 10;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Government plans to limit the number of tourists to Pulau Redang to 160,000 annually.

State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Za’abar Mohd Adib said the move was aimed at protecting the environment especially the coral reef from being damaged by too many divers.

“More than 200,000 tourists visit the island yearly and the number is growing.

“This is alarming as it could pose a threat to the serene environment,” he told reporters here yesterday.

He said an RM10mil water supply project was being carried out in Teluk Kalong and Pasir Panjang on the island.

Za’abar said the state government was considering applications to build two more hotels on the island.

At present, Pulau Redang, deemed one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world, has 30 hotels and chalets, including a five-star hotel boasting 1,059 rooms, reports Bernama.

Recently, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said had said that the state government would no longer approve the construction of chalet-type accommodation on the island.

He said only hotels rated five-star and above would be allowed to be built while only wealthy individuals would be able to afford holidays in Pulau Redang as hotel rooms would eventually cost no less than US$500 (RM1,600) a night.

He had also said that with the decision to turn the island into a high-end holiday destination, current chalets catering for backpackers would have to upgrade and raise their rates.

However, the move drew criticism from divers, tourists and tour operators who wanted the island to be open to all.