GEORGE TOWN: Malaysian tourism players are bracing for a surge of visitors from China as the country enters two major holiday periods.
The first is the ongoing three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which runs until today, followed by the National Day Golden Week from Oct 1 to 7.
Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said Chinese travellers could enjoy up to 13 consecutive days off by adjusting their workdays or taking additional leave.
He said the state had met representatives of several China-based airlines operating in Malaysia to better understand passenger loads, market trends, and expected visitor numbers ahead of the peak travel season for outbound trips.
Penang currently has direct air connectivity with several major cities in China, including Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Qingdao.
An inaugural direct Haikou-Penang route will begin on Oct 11.
Wong said the state government last month took its “Fall in Love with Penang” roadshow to Guangzhou and Zhuhai, targeting the Greater Bay Area.
He said the Greater Bay Area, comprising Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou and Zhaoqing, as well as Hong Kong and Macau, is a strategic market for Penang.
“We are working with tourism industry players to deepen our presence in the China market and turn this into business opportunities for local operators.”
Wong said the holiday periods represent an important window for Chinese travellers planning overseas trips.
“Besides preparing for the peak outbound travel season from China, we are also looking ahead to the winter flight schedule from the end of this year to early next year.
“We want to expand our tourism catchment in China by capturing the outbound travel market during the country’s holiday periods,” he said.
“Through such efforts, we aim to further enhance Penang’s visibility and strengthen our tourism brand’s influence in the China market.”
Penang, he said, offers a range of experiences for families, young travellers, senior citizens and visitors with different interests.
Wong said a range of new and enhanced tourism attractions through government and private-sector investment have been introduced.
These include the reopened Penang State Museum and Fort Cornwallis, Penang State Museum Automotive Gallery, Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery, Guar Kepah Gallery, Ferringhi Bay, Penang Ferry Museum, Penang River Cruise, Penang History Gallery, Straits & Oriental Museum, Entopia by Night, Umi Umi, Forest Island, Penang Indian Heritage Gallery and Cultural Centre, and Penang Waterfront Convention Centre.
According to Tourism Malaysia, Chinese visitors spend an average of RM6,291.29 per capita and stay an average of 6.6 days in Malaysia.
