CELEBRATING its 100th anniversary this year, the Penang Hill funicular railway service must drive the Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) team to achieve more extraordinary things, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Chow said the focus now should be on making the hill not only popular throughout Malaysia but a preferred eco-tourism destination worldwide!
“To make this happen, the team at PHC must give their 100 per cent commitment, continue with their tireless efforts, and most importantly, move forward with a vision of making Penang Hill greater than it was yesterday.
“We have seen how badly the tourism industry was hit due to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, dampening and crippling most if not all the activities surrounding this sector, domestically and globally.
“What we also witnessed was how amazing this industry, as well as others, has bounced back to normalcy during the post Covid-19 era.
“One good example was when Penang Hill recorded a total of 1,486,269 visitors in 2022 alone.
“That was a 326 per cent increase after only 455,292 visitors thronged the hill in 2021.
“This is a significant and meaningful achievement for the PHC, and it should be the driving tool to achieve even amazing results in the future,” Chow said in his speech during the PHC annual dinner at G Hotel Gurney in George Town today.
Several initiatives taken by the Penang government and the PHC, such as the Penang Hill Festival, Penang Hill Heritage Forest Challenge and the Trash Free Hill, were instrumental in garnering a good number of visitors to the hill.
“Another latest attraction that was announced on the hill last year is the Penang Hill Gallery @ Edgecliff. It has all the exciting and informative values that can attract more visitors to the hill.
“The Penang Hill Gallery @ Edgecliff is not just a gallery but an education centre surrounded by rich flora and fauna.
“The gallery is divided into five sections – time tunnel, biodiversity, heritage, funicular, and culture.
“The gallery is also one of the historic buildings in Malaysia that had achieved the Green Building Index Non-Residential Existing Building (NREB) Historic Building Tool,” Chow added.
Later in his speech, Chow also thanked all the board of directors from PHC, its staff and all relevant bodies for collectively playing a vital role in ensuring Penang Hill remains one of the most preferred tourism destinations for local and international visitors.
Also, during the dinner, PHC staff that have served for more than 10 years were rewarded with certificates to acknowledge their contribution and efforts.
Also, present during the dinner were State Secretary Datuk Mohd Sayuthi Bakar, state Financial Officer Zabidah Safar, Kebun Bunga assemblyman Ong Khan Lee and PHC general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix and video by Alissala Thian