A new tradeshow in town, as well as strong state support in the form of a dedicated CVB, are likely to be a force of change in Penang’s tourist fortunes. By S Puvaneswary
Penang saw two major developments this year that augur well for the tourism industry, as it seeks to attract more quality tourists and bolster tourism revenue in the face of a weak ringgit labelled the worst-performing Asian currency for the first half of 2016.
The first was the establishment of the Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), which came to fruition in January 2016, three years after the chief minister of Penang first announced that the state needed a dedicated bureau to attract more quality events and conventions to Penang.
Lim Guan Eng, Penang’s chief minister and PCEB chairperson, explained: “The average MICE tourist spends three times more than a business tourist.”
According to him, the average spend of a leisure traveller to Penang is RM2,000 (US$503), while business tourists spend an average of RM7,000.
The bureau, headed by CEO Ashwin Gunasekeran, is actively participating at international MICE shows overseas to attract more business to Penang. It also lends support to agents who bring MICE business to Penang.
Local DMCs are thankful for this new development. Saini Vermeulen, executive director, Within Earth Holidays, said: “(The bureau) makes it easier to get support when organising MICE events. It also makes it easier for us to market Penang (as a host destination) to our clients overseas as they know there is a dedicated bureau to support (their events).”
Ally Bhoonee, executive director of World Avenues, added: “With the PCEB’s launch, the state is in a better position to bid for international events and compete with neighbouring islands such as Phuket which offers similar products of beach, shopping and food.”
The second development took place in May, when Penang hosted the inaugural edition of WTM Connect Asia. The show brought together 50 exhibitors and 70 hosted buyers from 25 countries, including those that were not on Penang’s radar in the past like Lithuania, Mexico, Norway, Czech Republic, Canada, Denmark and Slovakia.
Ooi Chok Yan, CEO at Penang Global Tourism, said: “Having a world-class show in Penang is good branding for the state. It has also offered an opportunity for us to tap new markets.”
Commenting on the potential benefits a large-scale international show like WTM will bring, Adam Kamal, secretary-general of Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association, said: “Agents are influential and if convinced that the destination has appeal, they will include Penang in their brochure. That is a big win for Malaysia.”
Over the years, Penang has built a reputation as an arts and cultural centre, partly due to state government support that has allowed home-grown events to grow in stature, and attract both local and international visitors.
A major crowd-puller is the month-long annual George Town Festival, inaugurated in 2010 in honour of George Town’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This event attracts more than 200,000 visitors to Penang each year, which is three to four times more than the monthly average of 50,000 to 60,000 international visitors.
Nanda Kumar, managing director, Hidden Asia Travel & Tours, added that direct flights linking Penang with major cities in Asia as well as Kuala Lumpur and major domestic points have made it easy to market the destination year-round.
Latest connections include AirAsia’s four-times weekly services to Ho Chi Minh City since November 2015 and its thrice-weekly services to Yangon from January 2016.
Penang is served by 214 weekly flights to 16 destinations in Asia, and 390 weekly flights to nine domestic destinations.
This article was first published in TTG Asia October 2016 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
