PENANG has urged the Immigration Department to lift the ban on cruise ships.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said if air travel is allowed to bring in tourists, cruise ships should be allowed to enter the Penang Port to boost tourism too.
“I’m deeply disappointed that the port is still closed to cruise ships when the international borders are already opened. I hope the Immigration Department will lift the ban,” Yeoh (PH – Paya Terubong) said in reply to a supplementary question by Gooi Hsiao-Leung (PH – Bukit Tengah) during the State Legislative Assembly sitting at the State Assembly building in Light Street today.
“It is something special for cruise ship tourists coming out from the Penang Port to immediately enter the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.”
Gooi said tourism is very important to Penang and it has been affected by the ban on cruise ships.
“We’ve all been waiting and excited to welcome the cruise ships, especially the Spectrum of the Seas, scheduled to arrive this month,” Gooi said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar and Ahmad Adil Muhamad