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The Star

With Chinese tourists shunning Japan and Thailand’s Hat Yai, Malaysia’s Penang state is poised for a year-end tourism bonanza.
Penang tourism committee chairman Wong Hong Wai said Indonesians and Singaporeans, along with Malaysians who normally prefer Hat Yai, are expected to redirect their holiday plans to the state.
“December is traditionally one of the busiest periods, coinciding with the school holidays in both Malaysia and Singapore, and the Christmas and new year festive break.
“There is already a rise in hotel occupancy and this momentum is expected to ­continue.
“We have a packed calendar of events, including the Penang Bridge International Marathon on December 14 and the Penang Chingay Parade on December 20, which always draw strong local and foreign participation,” he said.
According to reports, Chinese tourists cancelled their trips to Japan due to a worsening diplomatic row between both countries.
The boycott came following remarks by Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that linked the use of military force in any Taiwan conflict with the potential deployment of Japanese troops.
Wong said Penang’s blend of festivals, heritage food and outdoor attractions made it a natural beneficiary of shifting travel patterns, adding that the state currently receives 72 flights a week from seven cities in China.

Between January and September, the number of Chinese visitors rose 90.24 per cent to 161,599 from 84,947 compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Penang Immigration Department.
Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang chapter chairman Tony Goh predicted an influx of tourists from December 10 onwards as many travellers are likely to cancel their trips to Hat Yai and other regional destinations.
“In Hat Yai alone, there are 16,000 hotel rooms. On weekends, the city typically receives around 20,000 visitors from Malaysia and other countries.
“With the city still recovering from floods, Penang can capture some of this diverted tourist ­traffic,” he said.
Goh added that domestic ­travellers have turned to Penang as an alternative holiday spot, driving a noticeable pickup in hotel bookings.
“Hotels are about 40 per cent to 50 per cent booked but I expect occupancy to rise steadily by 5 per cent to 10 per cent every week until the year-end,” he said.


Hotel Neo+ Penang operations director John Kim said occupancy is expected to rise in the coming weeks, mostly through last-minute bookings.
“The year-end Hat Yai crowd may divert to Penang as recovery there will take months.
“For now, the increase is ­minimal but we expect about a 20 per cent pickup soon,” he said, ­adding that the hotel is seeing a mix of local and foreign guests.
Flamingo Hotel by the Beach general manager Ong Hai Leong said Chinese tourists often travel in large family groups, including grandparents and young children.
“Some come to explore our international schools, others ­simply to enjoy Penang’s food,” he said, adding that Chinese visitors are food-driven and plan their trips around local cuisine.
This story was first published by The Star


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Malaysia’s Penang set to scoop up Chinese tourists skipping Japan, Thailand’s Hat Yai

Tourists visit George Town in Malaysia’s Penang state. Photo: Shutterstock

Rescuers evacuate a tourist from a hotel in Hat Yai, Thailand, on November 27. Photo: Reuters

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Tourists take photos with the Merlion statue in Singapore. Chinese visitors say the city state is an “easy and comfortable” travel destination. Photo: Reuters

Chinese media studies undergraduate She Tianze on holiday in Singapore earlier in November. Photo: RedNote/She Tianze

Chinese tourists do a Thai traditional greeting at the Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun, in Bangkok, Thailand. Bookings from China to Southeast Asia have risen amid Beijing’s spat with Japan. Photo: EPA-EFE

Chinese tourists pose for photos at Marina Bay in Singapore. The city state’s image of being clean and safe, with Mandarin being widely spoken, has struck a chord with Chinese travellers. Photo: Reuters

Tourists walk past shops and restaurants up the hill leading to Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto in January. Japan has launched a government body to investigate overtourism. Photo: AFP

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Two shots from the short film produced by Malaysian VFX artist Mohamad Sofian Abdullah, better known as Sofyank, in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board. Photos: Instagram / sofyank96

Tourists take pictures with the Petronas Twin Towers in the background in Kuala Lumpur in July. Malaysia aims to attract 35.6 million international visitors for its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. Photo: AFP

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Wicharit Leelakorn keeps his house dry with a makeshift flood-protection system during November’s floods in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, Thailand. Photo: Facebook/wicharit.leelakorn

Flooded fields in Hat Yai, Thailand’s southern Songkhla province, on Saturday. Hat Yai is one of the hardest-hit districts. Photo: Vantor / AFP

Wicharit Leelakorn bought a diesel-powered generator to run water pumps when the electricity went out during the floods in Hat Yai, Thailand’s Songkhla province. Photo: Facebook/wicharit.leelakorn

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Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings


Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings.


Malaysia’s Penang set to scoop up Chinese tourists skipping Japan, Thailand’s Hat Yai

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings

Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings