Drawbridge set to boost Terengganu's Heritage Tourism

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 3 (Bernama) --  Southeast Asia's  first drawbridge in Terengganu will further enhance the concept of ‘Heritage Tourism’, thereby boosting macroeconomic activity of the state.

The drawbridge which allows ships to pass through is the state’s latest icon.

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) Centre for Economic and Natural Resources Development Studies  lecturer Associate Professor Dr Nur Azura Sanusi said, to achieve that goal, the State Government should take full advantage of the potential of the drawbridge in promoting heritage tourism, as the flagship of Terengganu.

 "This heritage tourism not only provides commercial returns to industry players and small businesses, but also encourages and preserves Terengganu's natural heritage.

"Heritage tourism will help boost the hotel industry and restaurants, handicrafts, batik, songket, ‘keropok lekor’, copper tooling  and recreational fisheries and others closely related to Terengganu," she told Bernama today.

The RM248 million structure is the fourth bridge connecting Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Nerus apart from the other three, the Sultan Mahmud Bridge, the Pulau Rusa Bridge and the Pulau Sekati Bridge.

Yesterday, the bridge was opened to the public for a test run from the point of coordination of road signaling at the bridge with the traffic system in the surrounding area.

Upon completion of the system testing on June 17, the  bridge will be re-closed to traffic for checks on other components of the project and the official opening date will be notified after all work and commissioning of project components is completed.

Terengganu State Tourism Association deputy chairman Alex Lee Yun Ping hopes that a sustainable management can be implemented so that the bridge will last long as a new tourism product in the state.

"We do not want it to be a crowd-puller for just a short period of time ... to ensure that its popularity remains intact, the best management needs to be implemented, including a perfect maintenance system.

“The lift bridge will continue to attract tourists if it is always enhanced with good services much like a popular restaurant," he said.

The drawbridge which spans 638 metres in length stands tall with its 16-storey towers.

-- BERNAMA