PENANG is set to welcome three charter flights from Poland, South Korea and Japan in November and December, in a move to attract more international visitors to the state.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the flights from Warsaw, Busan and Osaka marked a new development for Penang’s tourism sector, as it was the first time the state would receive charter flights from all three cities.
He said the flight from Warsaw, Poland, would operate for three months during the winter season, while the flights from Busan, South Korea, and Osaka, Japan, would be one-off arrangements.
“Although it is too early to assess the impact, we believe this is a good start. We hope that with a good start, there will be more opportunities in the future,” he said.
Wong said the charter flights would bring foreign visitors directly to Penang, generating tourism spending and benefiting the local economy.
He added that the state hoped to attract more visitors from markets beyond China and Southeast Asia through such initiatives.
The Busan flight, scheduled to arrive on Nov 12, would bring visitors attending the Orient and Southeast Asia Lions meeting the following day, while the Osaka flight was scheduled to arrive on Dec 30.
Wong said Penang would continue to strengthen its international connectivity, with several new direct flights introduced this year from destinations including Qingdao, Phuket and Haikou.
Penang International Airport is also undergoing an expansion to increase its annual passenger-handling capacity from 6.5 million to 12 million passengers to cater to future growth, he said.
Meanwhile, the Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, once operational, would connect the airport to two convention centres, including the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre and SPICE, before continuing towards the city centre.
Wong said improved connectivity, together with new hotel developments, would support Penang’s growth as a tourism and business events destination.
Among the hotel projects in the pipeline are JdV by Hyatt, The Westin Hotel and InterContinental Penang Resort, as well as the planned reopening of Hotel Equatorial Penang.
He also highlighted Penang’s recognition in the Michelin Guide hotel selection, saying the Michelin Key system showed that the organisation’s assessments extended beyond restaurants to hotels.
Wong said 15 hotels in Penang had been included in the Michelin Guide hotel selection, with two receiving One Michelin Key recognition.
He said such recognition could further raise Penang’s profile among international travellers.
Wong was speaking at the ninth edition of the Penang International Travel Exchange (PITE) 2026, which brought together 80 international buyers from China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, alongside more than 40 exhibitors from Malaysia.
He said the event provided a platform for tourism businesses to connect, exchange ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration, while strengthening Penang’s position in the international tourism market.
Also present were Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) chief executive officer Ashwin Gunasekeran, Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI) general manager Datin S. Bharathi, Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) vice president Datuk Khoo Boo Lim and PCEB director Wong Yuee Harng.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud