PENANG is looking to expand its direct air connectivity with India following the encouraging performance of IndiGo Airlines’ Chennai–Penang service, with plans underway to link the state to another major Indian city potentially.
Penang state executive councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy Wong Hon Wai said discussions had recently taken place with IndiGo Airlines on expanding direct flight services from India to Penang. He met IndiGo Airlines’ Deputy Director of Sales, Srinivasan Jayaseelan, in Chennai to explore future route planning, market development and preliminary coordination for additional connections.
“Following Chennai, there is strong potential for another Indian city to be connected directly to Penang. Once the arrangements and details are finalised, the Penang State Government and IndiGo Airlines will make an official announcement accordingly,” Wong said in a press statement.
He added that the expansion discussions come on the back of sustained efforts by the state government to penetrate and cultivate the Indian market. Over the past few years, Penang has pursued proactive engagement and long-term planning, which culminated in the successful launch of IndiGo’s direct Chennai–Penang flight on 21 December 2024, creating a highly efficient air bridge between Penang and India.
Wong noted that the Chennai–Penang route is currently the only direct air link between India and Penang, marking the first-ever direct connection between the two cities. Since its launch, the route has delivered encouraging results and emerged as a key driver in attracting Indian tourists while strengthening Penang’s footprint in the South Asian market.
According to Wong, since operations began, the route has recorded more than 770 flights, carrying over 100,000 passengers with an average load factor of about 70%. Its stable performance and strong market response have contributed to rapid growth in Indian tourist arrivals, propelling India into Penang’s top 10 source markets, currently ranked sixth.
He further highlighted that tourism exchanges between India and Penang have intensified following the introduction of direct flights. In 2025 alone, 25,772 Indian tourists arrived at Penang International Airport via international flights — more than 2.3 times higher than the 11,127 recorded in 2024 and approximately 3.5 times the 7,348 visitors in 2023.
The growing appeal of Penang among Indian travellers is also reflected in cruise tourism. From January to November 2025, Penang welcomed 18,688 Indian cruise passengers, making India the second-largest source market at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal. Taken together across all entry points, the total number of Indian visitors to Penang in 2025 exceeded 44,000.
“This clearly demonstrates that the establishment of direct air links between Penang and major Indian cities, complemented by consistent and effective market promotion, will bring about sustainable and significant growth in visitor arrivals. The potential of the Indian market is substantial and should not be underestimated,” Wong said.
He pointed out that India has become the world’s most populous country, with an estimated population of about 1.46 billion, according to the United Nations. This vast population base represents a long-term and substantial source of tourism demand, forming a key strategic consideration behind Penang’s continued focus on the Indian market.
In line with this strategy, Wong said the Penang government intends to further expand its market share in India and strengthen systematic engagement through the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB). A series of “Simply Penang” tourism roadshows have been organised across major Indian cities, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Kochi and Chennai, to facilitate business-to-business engagement, connect tourism stakeholders from both sides and foster closer industry collaboration.
He added that nearly one year after the launch of the Chennai–Penang route, the timing was opportune for deeper engagement with the Chennai market. As such, Wong personally led the Chennai leg of the “Simply Penang” roadshow together with a state government delegation and Penang tourism industry players to gain first-hand insights into market needs and dynamics, enabling more targeted and effective promotional strategies.
The roadshow also provided a platform for direct engagement with key organisations across India’s tourism ecosystem, including MICE agents, the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) and the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTAI).
At the same time, the Penang delegation engaged with local Indian media to promote Penang’s diverse and distinctive tourism offerings to a wider audience. Wong said these efforts not only open new avenues for bilateral tourism collaboration but also further strengthen Penang’s positioning as a preferred destination for international business events and MICE tourism.
Pix courtesy of the YB Wong’s office for Tourism and Creative Economy (Petace)