TAIPING: A total of 2,200 local and international participants took part in the Taiping Heritage Ride 2026, which was organised to promote the town as one of Perak’s key tourism attractions.
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said 300 places were offered free of charge to school students aged seven to 17 to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
He said the event, now in its third edition, featured three categories covering distances of 90km, 65km and 17km. All began at Dataran Warisan Taiping and passed through iconic and historical locations around the district.
“Students’ participation in this programme allows them to earn marks under the Physical Education, Sports and Co-Curricular Assessment (PAJSK), providing added value and encouragement to remain active in co-curricular activities.
“Participants also get the chance to ride through interesting locations around Taiping, Kamunting, Simpang Empat, Batu Kurau and Bukit Merah, which were deliberately chosen to highlight their beauty and uniqueness,” he told reporters at Dataran Warisan Taiping here today.
Earlier, Wong, who is also the Taiping MP, took part in the 17km category, cycling from Dataran Warisan Taiping through several nearby locations, including the Taiping Lake Gardens.
On the event’s economic impact, he said it indirectly generated income for the tourism and hospitality sectors.
“All the hotels and homestays in Taiping have been fully booked for the past two or three days. Some participants even had to stay outside the area, in Kuala Kangsar and Ipoh,” he said.
He said the benefits extended beyond accommodation operators to food stall owners, small traders and public transport providers across the district.
Wong said the success of this year’s event also demonstrated the potential for further growth in sports tourism.
“I hope the organisers will aim for a larger-scale event next year, targeting more riders and cycling fans from home and abroad,” he said.