THIRTY-TWO merchants are participating in the 2022 High Fun Penang (HFP), a collaboration between business entities and JCI United Penang, to help stimulate Penang’s tourism industry.
The initiative, which is supported by the state government, will see the participation of the merchants like cafes, hotels, restaurants, museums, etc.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin described the initiative as timely to assist the participating merchants as they are entering the endemic stage now.
“It will enable the stakeholders to explore new opportunities, strengthen industry resilience, and tap into new segments,” Yeoh said when launching the event at The Top Penang in Komtar today.
“The Penang government believes that involvement of various stakeholders will be an important element to bring in more synergy into the state tourism.
“Furthermore, NGO with a variety of resources can play a vital role as a platform to bring those related parties together overcoming the post-pandemic effects.
“The Penang’s industries will certainly require time to recover and rebound to pre-pandemic levels. It is times as such when associations, agencies and companies, regardless of private or public, should and could collaborate for the betterment of the society.
“This is the public-private-people partnership that I have always highlighted because I strongly believe that encouraging collaboration between different companies across different industries will be a huge push in our way forward.”
Also present were Penang Global Tourism chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan, The Top Penang general manager K.C. Chew, organising chairman Wilson Tan, JCI United Penang president Zoey Tang and JCI United Penang treasurer Joanne Lee.
Tan said tourism-related industries need a helping hand to recover their businesses.
“All the merchants will provide 1,000 pieces of cash vouchers each to be spent at their premises.
“JCI United Penang will compile all the vouchers into a booklet and sell them at RM89 only per book which is worth RM250 in total.
“In addition, The Top Penang will sponsor 500 complimentary child tickets for the first 500 buyers of the vouchers which will be valid until Dec 31 this year,” Tan said.
Zoey said JCI United Penang came up with this project to hasten the tourism sector’s recovery.
“JCI United Penang, with its young active citizens, can help to promote the merchants via digital marketing or any JCI events. We want to thank all the merchants for the collaboration,” she said.
For further information or inquiries, please contact organising chairman Wilson Tan (011-1225 6990) or public relations director June Ang (019-400 0224).
Story and pix by K.H. Ong