Telaga Air festival to promote tourism, boost local businesses

PADAWAN : The Telaga Air Festival 2026, scheduled for Nov 5 to 8 at Kampung Telaga Air, aims to promote the village’s tourism potential while creating business opportunities for the local community.

Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Tan Kai said the festival, organised in collaboration with the local community, would showcase the area’s attractions and encourage more people to visit.

“The Telaga Air Festival is not merely an event to attract visitors, but a platform for us to highlight the uniqueness and tourism potential of villages in the Padawan area.

“Our goal is not just to bring people to Padawan, but to create opportunities for our local community”, he said during a press conference on the Telaga Air Festival 2026 at the MPP office here today (Oct 20).

Tan said these opportunities could benefit homestay operators, food vendors, small businesses, tourism operators and residents, while stressing that successful tourism development should also be measured by the economic benefits enjoyed by the local community.

Meanwhile, festival organising chairman Shamsudin Unai said this year’s programme would feature various activities for different age groups, including the introduction of the Telaga Air Strongest Man competition.

“The Strongest Man competition is a new event that we are introducing at the Telaga Air Festival for the first time.

“It will test participants’ physical strength, endurance and fighting spirit,” he said.

Other activities include a decorated kiosk competition, petanque, slingshot, karoake, silat, children’s fashion, Battle of the Bands, fishing, Nopeng, badminton, e-sports, children’s colouring, doubles pickleball and Forum Perdana.

“We want the public not only to attend as visitors, but also to take part in the competitions, support the participants and enjoy the activities”, he added.