THE Penang Global Tourism (PGT) has been ramping up its efforts to boost the state’s economy since the reopening of international borders in April.
It is organising a roadshow, called Experience Penang Roadshow, to Hatyai on Sept 6 after having successfully organised a similar roadshow to Bangkok recently.
State executive councillor in charge of tourism and creative economy (Petace), Yeoh Soon Hin, is leading a delegation of 25 participants to sell Penang to the local travel agents and other industry players in Hatyai.
Ooi Chok Yan, who has been helming PGT as its chief executive officer for eight years, will be one of the main presenters to give an update on Penang products at the New Season Square Hotel in Hatyai tomorrow.
Ooi, 46, studied graphic design and had spent 20 years working in the advertising field for some leading firms before heading PGT. His last posting was in Jakarta where he was an executive creative director in Hakuhodo, the second biggest advertising agency in Japan.
Ooi’s presentation will be followed by business matching sessions and the Experience Penang 2022 Launching Gimmick.
From the feedback received after its creditable roadshow in Bangkok, Ooi said many Thais are not only flying into Malaysia but are also coming in by road. If by road, he said then Hatyai, being not far from Penang in the north, is a key city to do a roadshow.
“When the borders reopened, it is, in a way, like a restart button to the whole industry because a lot of industry players have suffered during the past two years. Covid-19 was very challenging not only for Malaysia but also for other countries.
“Some of the industry players no longer exist when the borders reopened. The first step we took was to reconnect with the countries where we have direct flights.
“Countries that have direct flights with Penang are usually familiar with Penang and that is the easiest way to reconnect with them.
“We’ve 17 weekly flights from Bangkok and six weekly flights from Phuket. That was why we first went to Bangkok,” Ooi explained.
Ooi said they did not only concentrate on domestic tourism during the on-off lockdowns but were also working hard on brand awareness in the overseas market through social media, Tourism Malaysia and other partners like airlines and OTAs (online travel agencies).
“We wanted to keep reminding them about Penang and what Penang can offer.
“Other countries were also very aggressive. Tourism-centric countries like Thailand, Japan, S. Korea, even Australia and to a certain extent, Singapore, were aggressive and consistent in promoting their countries,” Ooi recalled.
The 25 sellers at the Hatyai roadshow comprise a mixed group of hoteliers, travel agents, representatives from medical companies, attractions and colleges.
Ooi said the concept of tourism has no longer solely been about leisure tourism for at least two decades.
He said it encompasses sports, medical, cruise ships, education, the film industry and wedding programmes.
As a classic example of sports tourism, Ooi cited the Penang Bridge International Marathon, saying that many outstation or overseas participants not only come to participate but also stay on for a few days to get a taste of Penang.
As for medical tourism, he said Penang is the No. 1 in the country, contributing more than 50 per cent of medical tourism revenue. As such, he said most hospitals benefit from this.
Another successful tourism factor for Penang he said is cruise tourism. Three cruise ships are coming to berth at Swettenham Pier, with each ship carrying between 3,000 and 4,000 passengers.
“Imagine, in July alone, we had 13 international calls totalling 35,000 visitors by Royal Caribbean Spectrum of the Seas and Resort World Cruize Genting Dream. It’s a huge market,” Ooi said.
Reputable colleges also provide a fillip to education tourism in Penang. As Penang and Malaysia inherited a remarkable education system from the British, Ooi said the Thais, for instance, had even sent their children to study in Penang, especially at Han Chiang High School, in the 70s.
“Some of the foreign students who come here are amazed that we speak multiple languages. In some countries, they only speak one language.
“When their students are here, they get the chance to interact with our students and learn from our multicultural society. They are also exposed to different cultures.
“If the students are here to study for three years, on and off their family members or relatives would come here to visit them. In a way, they are also our ambassadors; when they go back they will promote Penang as well.
“So, we want to encourage more people to come here and study.”
He said wedding tourism is also another area that can be tapped upon as it is not uncommon to see couples taking wedding photos in Penang.
This is because Penang offers different backdrops, having lovely colonial buildings, the 130-million-year-old rainforest in Penang Hill, and beautiful beaches – all these themes the couple can easily cover within a short period.
Even wedding receptions can be held in a colonial building like E&O Hotel or a modern convention centre in Penang, Ooi said.
Penang is also getting popular in the film industry. The Little Nyonya series, which was partly shot in Penang by Singapore Media Corp several years ago, has been broadcast internationally.
It was later reproduced in China and helped to promote Penang nyonya culture in China.
Ooi said just recently, Penang was also featured in productions done by Penang-born Soh Teong Hin and Malaysian director Chong Keat Aun, including his latest movie, Snow in Midsummer.
“I think for them, Penang is a good spot for filming because of its natural background. We have colonial buildings and theme parks suited for reality shows. The interesting thing is that they are all in close proximity, so for production, it can save a lot of travelling time,” Ooi said.
According to Ooi, PGT also creates some key events, for instance, the recently concluded Penang International Food Festival.
“One of the reasons we do events is to attract people to come to Penang. We want to give people a reason to come to Penang. So, like the food festival, you can come to Penang and have all the food in Penang in one place.”
Now, with the Hatyai roadshow, PGT is eyeing more arrivals to restore Penang’s tourism.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar