TAIPING, Oct 25 (Bernama) —A total of 2,200 local and international participants took part in the Taiping Heritage Ride 2026, highlighting the town’s tourism appeal and the potential of sports tourism to drive local economic growth.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the third edition of the event featured three cycling categories covering 90km, 65km and 17km, starting from Dataran Warisan Taiping and passing through historical landmarks and scenic locations across the district.
He said 300 free slots were allocated to students aged seven to 17 to encourage an active lifestyle and greater participation in co-curricular activities.
Students could also earn marks under the Physical Education, Sports and Co-Curricular Activities Assessment (PAJSK) through their participation.
“The routes were deliberately chosen to highlight the beauty and uniqueness of locations around Taiping, Kamunting, Simpang Empat, Batu Kurau and Bukit Merah,” he told reporters at Dataran Warisan Taiping today.
Wong, who is also the Taiping Member of Parliament, participated in the 17km category, which included a route through the popular Taiping Lake Gardens.
He said the event had generated significant economic benefits for the district, with hotels and homestays fully booked over the past two to three days.
Some participants had to seek accommodation in neighbouring areas, including Kuala Kangsar and Ipoh, he added.
Wong said the economic impact extended beyond accommodation operators to food vendors, small businesses and public transport services.
He said the strong response demonstrated the potential of sports tourism to attract more visitors and support local businesses.
Wong hoped the organisers would expand the event next year to attract more cyclists from Malaysia and abroad.
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