GEORGE TOWN, Aug 23 — Penang is on the right track to draw in more tourists, especially from China, with an increasing number of direct flights and cruise liners making Penang its port of call.
Association of Tourist Attractions Penang (ATAP) chairman Datuk Ch’ng Huck Theng said tourism in the state is picking up, especially with more direct flights from China.
“We are also seeing more than 10 four to five star hotels being opened in Penang this year and next year,” he said.
He said the addition of Penang as the port of call for international luxury cruise liners is also a good sign that travellers are choosing to come to the island state.
Ch’ng attributed the increase in tourism to Penang’s affordability, its tourist attractions and food which some have regarded as the “best in the world”.
“We are a world-class destination and Chinese tourists coming here are visiting Penang Hill due to the Biosphere reserve and the environment,” he said.
He said Penang needs only to make sure that it meets the expectations of visitors who come here expecting good service, good food, high quality hospitality and interesting attractions.
According to Tourism and Creative Economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, Penang now has 44 direct flights to China including to cities like Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Xiamen.
Aside from China, Penang is also connected to many international cities worldwide by various airlines such as Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, Hong Kong, Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya, Banda Aceh, Taipei, Ho Chi Minh City and Doha.
It was previously reported that Penang has recorded a 370 per cent increase in tourists from China in just the first quarter of this year.
Recently, Wong also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Penang Wedding Professionals Association (PWPA) and the Sichuan Wedding Trade Association (SWTA) to promote Penang’s wedding tourism in Sichuan, China.
He said the partnership between PWPA and SWTA will position Penang as a leading wedding destination for couples from China.
As for cruise tourism, Wong said Xpedition Travel has partnered with Oceania Cruise Line to make Penang as one of the port of calls for four of its five-star cruises starting from January to May 2025.
The cruise line’s fleet — Regatta, Insignia and Nautical — will be bringing in 670 passengers each while its larger cruise ship, Riviera, will be bringing in 1,250 passengers.
“Our cruise terminal at Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) has played a pivotal role in supporting the growth of cruise tourism in Penang,” Wong said.
He said last year, SPCT recorded a total of 573,178 international transit passengers, along with 175,532 local passengers.
This year, between January and June, SPCT recorded a total 103,853 international transit passengers.
The top 10 countries the international passengers are from are Singapore, United Kingdom, India, USA, Indonesia, Germany, China, Philippines, South Korea and Australia.
“Tourist attractions will have to continue to appeal to visitors by planning activities and events for next year and we can expect the industry to see continuous growth,” Ch’ng said.
In a Bernama report yesterday, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state is set to see 10 new hotels with 4,000 rooms over the next few years as more tourists are expected to visit.
“There is definitely room for more hotels to accommodate the increasing number of visitors and tourists to Penang,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.
Chow also noted that in 2023 alone, Penang recorded almost seven million tourist arrivals.
Recommended reading:
