GEORGE TOWN: The inaugural direct flight from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport to Penang by Shanghai Airlines marks another significant milestone in the state’s efforts to penetrate the international tourism market.
The flight, which landed 7.11am at the Penang International Airport yesterday, is also the second direct flight between Shanghai and Penang after the inaugural flight of Juneyao Airlines on May 31.
State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said this direct flight not only builds another bridge of friendship between the people of Shanghai and Penang, but also injects new vitality into the economic and cultural exchanges between China and Malaysia.
“The new direct flight opens up Penang to the vast market of eastern China. Residents and businesses in Shanghai and neighbouring provinces can now take advantage of China’s advanced high-speed rail and comprehensive domestic flight network to connect seamlessly to Penang via Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport.
“This new route is poised to ignite renewed interest in Penang, revitalising our tourism industry, and with the surge in visitors, we anticipate substantial growth opportunities for Penang’s tourism sector,” he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
Wong noted that hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and entertainment venues will also benefit, propelling the state’s overall economic development.
As the third-largest source of tourists for Penang’s tourism industry after Indonesia and Singapore, Wong said the number of Chinese tourists who took direct flights to Penang reached 44,847, which showed a significant increase of 244.21% compared to 13,029 recorded in the same period last year.
With the addition of Shanghai Airlines, there are now seven cities in China with direct flights to Penang, including Xiamen (Xiamen Airlines), Guangzhou (China Southern Airlines), Shenzhen (Shenzhen Airlines), Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific and AirAsia), Shanghai (Juneyao Airlines and Shanghai Airlines), Haikou (Batik Air charter flights) and Chongqing (Firefly Airlines charter flights).
Using the narrow-body Boeing 738 aircraft, the Shanghai to Penang flight that takes five-and-a-half hours operates three times a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
