PENANG is expanding its international tourism reach by exploring new markets and improving air connectivity with destinations beyond its traditional visitor sources, says state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai (PH-Paya Terubong).
He said the state was looking to attract more visitors from Europe, the Middle East and other parts of Asia, while continuing to strengthen its existing markets.
Among the efforts was the introduction of charter flights connecting Penang with cities such as Warsaw, Busan and Osaka.
Wong said the Warsaw charter service would help Penang reach more European travellers, while the additional connections would provide greater access to visitors from other parts of Asia.
He said Penang needed to diversify its tourism markets amid growing competition from destinations such as Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan.
“We must continue to explore new markets and not depend only on our traditional source markets,” he said.
On air connectivity, Wong said Penang International Airport handled 8.31 million passenger movements in 2025, exceeding its original capacity of 6.8 million.
He said the airport expansion project was expected to increase its capacity to 12 million passengers annually.
However, he said the airport was facing capacity constraints, including insufficient check-in counters and aircraft parking bays, as well as having only one runway.
“We hope the airport expansion project can be completed as soon as possible to ensure that our aviation infrastructure keeps pace with the growth of the tourism, trade and economy sectors,” he said.
He added that better air connectivity and airport facilities were important to attract more international visitors and support the growth of Penang’s tourism industry.
Story by Edmund Lee