Latest news with #StateTourismandCreativeEconomyCommittee
The Star
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
AirAsia eyes increased connectivity to Penang in regional expansion push
GEORGE TOWN: AirAsia is actively exploring the possibility of increasing flight connectivity to and from Penang as part of its ongoing regional growth strategy, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening regional accessibility. AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra said the airline is currently evaluating several potential new routes involving Penang, one of Malaysia's most popular travel destinations. "We will be doing a lot more study on it. One thing is for sure, as an airline, our job and business is to connect places and people. But of course, we also need to ensure that the connectivity is sustainable. "So, there are many destinations we want to connect to Penang," he told reporters after a press conference on 'AirAsia RedRun lands in Malaysia for the first time in Penang', which was also attended by State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, here today. Elaborating further, Fareh said any expansion plans must align with operational sustainability and long-term viability, with the airline particularly focused on 'low-hanging fruit' routes that demonstrate strong demand and immediate commercial potential. While no specific new routes have been confirmed yet, he indicated that AirAsia's focus remains on regional destinations, with plans to enhance Penang's connectivity within ASEAN and nearby markets. Meanwhile, Wong said AirAsia carried over 1.8 million passengers through Penang across the region in just the first half of this year and contributes 38 per cent of passenger aircraft arrivals at Penang International Airport based on airport data. "Currently, AirAsia connects Penang to seven international cities, namely Bangkok, Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya, Shenzhen, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, and five domestic destinations, including Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi. "There are 239 weekly AirAsia flights to Penang from international and domestic destinations. Additionally, it facilitates connections from other international cities via the AirAsia Fly-thru programme and provides timely transit flights from international cities through KLIA to Penang," he added. AirAsia is bringing its highly anticipated RedRun to Penang for the first time, marking the next leg of the airline's regional initiative to energise travel and spotlight key tourism destinations across ASEAN. The RedRun Penang will take place on Sept 28 at Gurney Plaza, inviting thousands of participants from across the region to join in three race categories: 3 kilometres (km), 5 km, and 10 km. Registration for the RedRun is open until Aug 18, 2025. - Bernama
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
AirAsia plans expanded Penang flights to boost regional connectivity
GEORGE TOWN: AirAsia is considering expanding flight routes to Penang as part of its regional growth strategy, aiming to enhance connectivity for one of Malaysia's top tourist hubs. The airline is assessing potential new destinations while ensuring operational sustainability and commercial viability. AirAsia Malaysia CEO Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra stated that the airline prioritises routes with strong demand. 'Our role is to connect places and people, but sustainability is key. We're studying multiple Penang routes,' he said during the 'AirAsia RedRun' press conference. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai highlighted AirAsia's significant role in Penang's air traffic, with 1.8 million passengers in the first half of 2024. The airline operates 239 weekly flights, linking Penang to seven international and five domestic destinations, including Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia's RedRun event will debut in Penang on September 28 at Gurney Plaza, featuring 3km, 5km, and 10km races. Registrations close on August 18, 2025. - Bernama
New Straits Times
03-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Penang challenges DOSM's tourism report, citing more accurate hotel stay data
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has responded with concern to the recently released Domestic Tourism Survey 2024 by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). It questioned the accuracy and methodology of the report, particularly its claim that Perak topped the list of domestic tourism destinations. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the DOSM report was merely based on a sample survey, not on hotel stay records. He said it was essential to understand that the survey was based on household sampling, which mainly relied on questionnaire answers and memory recall of respondents, and not tangible real-time records. "While such surveys are common in research, their accuracy is always limited by the sample size and its representativeness. "In this case, only 204 enumeration blocks in Penang were included in the national survey's total of 2,819 blocks across Malaysia, a figure too small to draw valid conclusions about tourism performance in the state. "Such a small sample size cannot reflect the real strength of Penang's tourism," he said today. Wong pointed to the official hotel accommodation data from Tourism Malaysia as a more reliable indicator. He said last year, Penang recorded 5.2 million domestic tourists staying in hotels, with an additional three million international visitors — totaling 8.2 million hotel guests. In contrast, he said, Perak, which ranked first in the DOSM report, recorded only 4.19 million domestic hotel guests in the same year. "This shows a clear discrepancy between the sample-based survey and actual tourism performance data," he added. Wong also questioned the choice of survey respondents, saying DOSM's data was collected from households, not actual travellers. Respondents were asked to recall travel activities over the past year, making the data subjective and retrospective," he explained. Additionally, he emphasised that no surveys were conducted at airports, hotels or tourism hotspots — which would have provided a more accurate picture of active tourists. Another key issue highlighted by Wong was DOSM's broad definition of a domestic tourist, which included both overnight visitors and same-day excursionists. He added that same-day visitors, who made up 66.8 per cent of domestic travellers in the DOSM report, typically spent less, did not stay in hotels overnight and were harder for tourism businesses to keep track of. "Although their numbers are high, their economic impact is minimal compared with genuine leisure travellers," he said. As such, Wong cautioned against relying solely on the DOSM report to assess tourism success. "While the survey can offer preliminary insights into trends, its limitations in methodology, sample size and definitions make it insufficient to measure the true performance of major tourism destinations. "For a state like Penang — known for its high-quality tourism, cultural experiences and world-class arts events — the sector's contribution cannot be captured through a single household survey," Wong said.
New Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Exco: Boon Siew Villa not under Unesco, state, or national protection list
Boon Siew Villa in Batu Ferringhi, which was recently demolished to make way for a luxury condominium project, is outside the George Town United Nationas Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation World Heritage Site, a state executive councillor said. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the property, once the residence of Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, known as 'Mr Honda', was not listed under national or state heritage protection. "The private property is outside George Town's World Heritage Area," he told the New Straits Times. The demolition of the villa has sparked strong reactions from heritage advocates and Penangites, who see the loss as another blow to the island's cultural identity. The villa, regarded as a symbol of Penang's colonial-era architecture, was listed in the Penang Built Heritage Inventory in 2012. On whether the property should have been protected, Wong said there were other landmarks, such as Wisma Boon Siew and Jalan Loh Boon Siew, that still existed in the state capital here. "There are many properties and land banks under the family of Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew. There is even one Boon Siew Building in neighbouring Singapore." Earlier this week, the state government confirmed that all technical and safety requirements had been met for the luxury condominium project, despite public concern over traffic congestion and safety in the area. Last October, it was reported that Singaporean real estate and lodging company The Ascott Ltd was partnering with Malaysian developer Instant Icon Sdn Bhd to develop Ascott Residences Batu Ferringhi, which is set to welcome residents from January 2028. Ascott country general manager for Malaysia, Mondi Mecja, had said that the greenfield development would feature 99 residences for sale and the project was expected to break new ground in Penang's luxury living market, with a strong focus on owner occupation. The development would feature a diverse selection of spacious living options, ranging from 185sq m to 370sq m, along with a penthouse exceeding 740sq m. The NST has contacted both The Ascott Ltd and Instant Icon for comment.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Penang to launch track and trace system to safeguard local durian industry
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will roll out a smart Track and Trace system starting June 1 to allow comprehensive monitoring of locally grown durians, particularly from Balik Pulau, timed with the arrival of the upcoming fruit season. State Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the initiative, developed in collaboration with MIMOS Sdn Bhd, aims to address complaints from growers regarding fraudulent sales and and the misrepresentation of Penang durians. 'There have been many cases where durians from other states are falsely claimed to be from Balik Pulau, Penang, which sidelines our local growers. Some vendors even sell Thai durians by the roadside and market them as Penang durians when they're not,' he said when contacted today. Fahmi expressed hope that the tracking technology will help curb such practices by enhancing product traceability, improving regulatory compliance, and restoring consumer confidence in the Penang durian brand. He added that the initiative is also part of the state's broader efforts to strengthen the industry and protect the livelihoods of local growers. The project is a collaboration between the State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), Department of Agriculture, Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS), and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) in Penang. Fahmi said Malaysian durians, particularly those from Penang, are in high demand overseas due to their quality, backed by the myGAP certification recognised by importing countries such as China. Last year, Penang exported 67,203 kilogrammes of durians. Among the most sought-after varieties are Musang King (D197) and Ochee or Black Thorn (D200). The latest registered clones introduced in the state in 2023 include Kim Long D230 and Cenderawasih D229. Penang is home to over 30 durian varieties, including Dato Nina (D2), Lipan Bara, Ikan Emas, Kulit Hijau (D165), Tekka (D160), Labu (D163), Lipan, Kunyit, Ang Bak Kia, Khoon Poh (D164), Ais Krim, Lin Feng Jiao, Muntri (D14), and Yi Dian Hong.
