Ticket sales at Malacca Zoo have exceeded RM800,000 with 10,000 visitors recorded in 16 days since the state’s iconic tourism spot resumed operations on Oct 1.

Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council head Shadan Othman said the total number of visitors to the zoo has breached the 1,000 daily mark with the highest recorded at 3,500 yesterday.

"We have seen a daily increase in visitors to Malacca Zoo since Oct 1 till yesterday and most of them are from outstation like Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

"We foresee more notably on weekends because night safari has been opened for Friday, Saturday and Sunday," he said after a cleaning operation with the council at Ayer Keroh today.

He said the Malacca Zoo management is complying strictly with standard operating procedures where entry is only granted to 800 visitors at a time, to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Shadan said a new tourism product called "Lepak Station" with a night market concept like Jonker Walk will be opened at the Ayer Keroh Heritage Square at the end of the year.

He said the night market with a limit of 500 visitors will see 100 vendors selling food, clothing and handicraft.

"This project is part of Special Tourism Zones (RKK) in Ayer Keroh as new night attractions and tourism sites apart from those in Malacca town.

"Overall, we have 30 projects under RKK, in which 70 percent have been launched. As for the remaining, we need to apply for state funding," he said.

- Bernama