The Malaysian state of Penang is intensifying efforts to attract Indian tourists, capitalising on the launch of its first daily direct flight connection to Chennai in November 2024.
Wong Hon Wai, Penang state executive councillor for tourism and creative economy, recently led a multi-city roadshow in India, titled Discover Penang. The four-city event, which covered Mumbai (January 13), New Delhi (January 15), Kolkata (January 17), and Chennai (January 20), witnessed an impressive turnout of around 200 buyers attending each session.
“This is the eighth edition of our roadshow in India, and this year’s theme highlights the destination’s versatility for heritage, culture, nature, weddings, festivals and business. With the direct Chennai-Penang flight and visa-free travel for Indian tourists, we expect India to become one of our top 10 international source markets in 2025,” said Wong at a press conference in New Delhi.
During the roadshow’s New Delhi leg, the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian OTA EaseMyTrip, aimed at enhancing Penang’s visibility and appeal among Indian travellers.
“EaseMyTrip has been bringing Indian tourists to Malaysia, but with this MoU, we are expecting a more focused approach to promote Penang. We are also open to similar collaborations with other Indian OTAs,” Wong stated.
Under the agreement, EaseMyTrip will introduce customised travel packages featuring unique Penang attractions.
Penang, a key port of call for cruise liners in South-east Asia, already counts India among its top three source markets for cruise arrivals. Wong expressed optimism about converting cruise visitors into longer-stay tourists. “We want these cruise tourists to return and spend more days exploring Penang,” he added.
Penang welcomed close to three million international tourists in 2024.
