GEORGE TOWN: After almost two years, Port Swettenham is buzzing with activities again with the arrival of more than 3,000 foreign tourists.
At 8am Saturday (July 2), the tourists arrived on Royal Caribbean vessel Spectrum of the Seas from Singapore to the delight of tour guides, taxis drivers and rickshaw riders.
Rows of them waited at the entrance of the port offering the travellers tour packages and transportations during their excursion on the island.
Welcoming the tourists at the port were Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng, PPC general manager Monaliza Suhaimi, Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) chief executive officer V. Sasedharan and representatives from Penang Global Tourism (PGT) and officials from state agencies.
Tan said he was happy with the arrival of the international cruise ship in Penang as it was beneficial to the tourism industry in the state and contribute to other downstream industry as well.
He added that it would also enliven the atmosphere in Penang as a tourist attraction destination for local and international travellers.
"The Spectrum of the Seas stopover this time is the starting point for the stopover of other international cruise ships in the future.
"The Spectrum of the Seas ship itself will dock in Penang twice a week ", he said in a statement.
Spectrum of the Seas will depart at 6pm on Saturday (July 2) to another location.
