SPIKE IN VISITORS DUE TO MUSANG KING

Tourists flock to Raub, Bentong in search of durians

Today, tour operators make arrangements to ferry thousands of tourists to the orchards, and the bookings have been pouring in.

Raub Durian Orchard owner Eddie Yong said the demand for his durians had increased over the past few years.

He said his Musang King was well received by visitors.

Yong, who has planted durians for more than 32 years, said hundreds of tourists would visit his orchard during weekends.

He said his orchard had transformed into a new tourist attraction in Raub.

“Durians have emerged as an attraction for people to come and taste them.

“Musang King has been around for some time, but its popularity grew only over the past two years. This year, it has become the talk of the town.

“Musang King has created a large fan base and people do not mind travelling as long as they can taste quality fruits,” he said.

Lau Hong Seng, 37, who owns an orchard in Sungai Ruan here, said there was a sharp increase in the number of tour buses coming to town over the past few months.

He said the Musang King fever had created great excitement among durian orchard operators, who receive busloads of visitors every week.

Ee Chin Loon, 52, said many tourists from China had made Raub one of their vacation spots after the government introduced Musang King to the country.

He said in the past, Musang King was less popular and sold for only RM1 per kilogramme.

Today, he said, Musang King could fetch up to RM140 a kilogramme.

Pahang Tourism and Culture Ministry director Datuk Idros Yahya said the term “durian season” was no longer relevant as operators tried to ensure the fruit could be enjoyed all year long via freezing and other methods.