The Pahang state government has allocated RM5 million as promotional budget for the ''Visit Pahang Year 2017'' (VPY2017) campaign, said state Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin.

He said the provision from the State Finance was entrusted to Pahang State Tourism, namely Bukit Fraser Development Corporation, which is also known as Tourism Pahang.

"The task of Tourism Pahang is to promote the tourism destinations throughout the districts. The state government is also actively promoting towns that are historic and heritage based through the publication of tourism literature at home and abroad, conducting roadshows and so on," he said.

Mohd Sharkar was replying to a question from Lee Chean Chung (PKR-Semambu), who wanted to know the cost of VPY2017 at the 13th Pahang State Legislative Assembly sitting in Wisma Sri Pahang here on Tuesday.

The state government targeted a revenue of RM10 billion from an expected 15 million domestic and foreign tourists throughout VPY2017, he said.

On the 32 heritage sites that was to be gazetted by the National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 645), Mohd Sharkar said the districts involved were Lipis, Kuantan, Raub, Pekan, Sungai Lembing, Temerloh, Rompin, Bera, Jerantut, Maran, Cameron Highlands and Bentong.

"Studies and researches are also being carried out to highlight historical sites as tourism products such as in Kampung Budu (Lipis) and Pulau Tawar (Jerantut), which holds the history of Mat Kilau''s heroism," he said.

Meanwhile Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, when replying to Sim Chon Siang (PKR-Teruntum), said the state government has no plans to set up ''China Town'' in Jalan Air Putih here.

-- BERNAMA