THE launch of Hainan Airlines’ direct Haikou–Penang flight is expected to strengthen tourism, cultural exchanges and economic cooperation between Penang and Hainan, China.
With both destinations maintaining friendly relations for more than 13 years, the new air link is expected to facilitate visitor exchanges while opening up opportunities for trade, industrial collaboration, supply chain connectivity and logistics.
The scheduled service was launched on Oct 11, with a tourism promotion event organised by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, under the theme “Dynamic Free Trade Port, Charming Hainan Island”, to strengthen ties between tourism stakeholders from both destinations.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, who attended the event, highlighted the complementary strengths of the two destinations.
He noted that Hainan was advancing its development as a free trade port, while Penang served as an important electronics manufacturing centre, semiconductor industry base and regional logistics hub in Malaysia.
“Both sides have their own industrial competitive advantages and distinctive development priorities.
“This creates considerable potential for us to explore economic and trade cooperation, industrial collaboration and greater complementarity,” he said.
Wong said the timing of the tourism promotion event was opportune, as the new direct flight provided greater opportunities for bilateral cooperation, while the gathering offered a platform for tourism stakeholders to exchange insights and explore potential partnerships.
He added that the scheduled Haikou–Penang service would facilitate tourism exchanges and create favourable conditions for Penang and the Hainan Free Trade Port to explore strategic cooperation.
“Building on our existing friendly relationship and using scheduled direct flights as a catalyst, Penang and Hainan can explore opportunities in trade, industrial collaboration, supply chain connectivity and logistics. By leveraging our respective strengths and complementing one another, we can work towards mutually beneficial and shared development,” he said.
Wong also commended Hainan Airlines for introducing the direct service, saying sustained engagement and practical cooperation were essential to strengthening relations between the two destinations.
“Consolidating the existing friendly relationship between Penang and Hainan and expanding exchanges and cooperation across different levels and sectors are important to ensuring that our ties continue to grow from strength to strength.
“Hainan Airlines’ scheduled direct flight between Haikou and Penang has opened up a more convenient air link between the two destinations. It also provides a new avenue for our longstanding friendship to deepen through closer connectivity and more frequent exchanges,” he said.
Wong invited visitors from Hainan to explore Penang, retrace their forebears’ footsteps and experience the cultural ties that continue to connect the two destinations.
He also encouraged visitors to discover Penang’s Hainanese culinary heritage, including Nanyang coffee, Hainanese chicken rice, Hainanese Western-style cuisine and charcoal-grilled Hainanese bread.
Pix courtesy of the state Tourism and Creative Economy Office (PETACE)