GEORGE TOWN, Aug 22 — Penang is set to see 10 new hotels with 4,000 rooms over the next few years as the state continues to attract more tourists, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Chow said he does not think there will be any issue of an oversupply of hotels in the state.

"In fact, when international conferences or conventions are held, there is often a shortage of hotel rooms. There is definitely room for more hotels to accommodate the increasing number of visitors and tourists to Penang,” he told a press conference here today.

Chow said this after witnessing the signing ceremony between MTT Hospitality, a division of the MTT Group Companies, and Pan Pacific Hotels Group to transform Evergreen Laurel Hotel into Gurney Bay Hotel, a Parkroyal partner hotel. The chairman of the MTT Group of Companies Datuk Seri Kenny Ong and the chief executive officer of the Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Choe Peng Sum, signed on behalf of their respective companies.

During his speech at the ceremony, Chow said the tourism industry has long been a crucial economic driver for Penang, creating jobs and fostering economic growth.

He noted that in 2023 alone, Penang recorded almost seven million tourist arrivals, a clear sign of the industry’s resilience and appeal and that the increasing availability of direct international flights to Penang will undoubtedly continue to fuel this growth.

Chow described the signing ceremony as a significant milestone for the MMT Group of Companies and the Pan Pacific Hotels Group, marking a new chapter in Penang’s vibrant hospitality landscape.

Meanwhile, Ong said in March this year, the MTT Group acquired the hotel and then embarked on a thorough search for an ideal partner to elevate the property to new heights, and found it in the Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG).

On September 1, the hotel will officially be known as the Gurney Bay Hotel — a Parkroyal partner hotel — and after the completion of renovations, which is expected to take between 18 and 24 months, the hotel will be rebranded as the Parkroyal Gurney Bay Hotel. — Bernama