Latest news with #StateTourismandCreativeEconomyCommittee
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Penang challenges DOSM's tourism report, citing more accurate hotel stay data
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has responded with concern to the recently released Domestic Tourism Survey 2024 by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). It questioned the accuracy and methodology of the report, particularly its claim that Perak topped the list of domestic tourism destinations. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the DOSM report was merely based on a sample survey, not on hotel stay records. He said it was essential to understand that the survey was based on household sampling, which mainly relied on questionnaire answers and memory recall of respondents, and not tangible real-time records. "While such surveys are common in research, their accuracy is always limited by the sample size and its representativeness. "In this case, only 204 enumeration blocks in Penang were included in the national survey's total of 2,819 blocks across Malaysia, a figure too small to draw valid conclusions about tourism performance in the state. "Such a small sample size cannot reflect the real strength of Penang's tourism," he said today. Wong pointed to the official hotel accommodation data from Tourism Malaysia as a more reliable indicator. He said last year, Penang recorded 5.2 million domestic tourists staying in hotels, with an additional three million international visitors — totaling 8.2 million hotel guests. In contrast, he said, Perak, which ranked first in the DOSM report, recorded only 4.19 million domestic hotel guests in the same year. "This shows a clear discrepancy between the sample-based survey and actual tourism performance data," he added. Wong also questioned the choice of survey respondents, saying DOSM's data was collected from households, not actual travellers. Respondents were asked to recall travel activities over the past year, making the data subjective and retrospective," he explained. Additionally, he emphasised that no surveys were conducted at airports, hotels or tourism hotspots — which would have provided a more accurate picture of active tourists. Another key issue highlighted by Wong was DOSM's broad definition of a domestic tourist, which included both overnight visitors and same-day excursionists. He added that same-day visitors, who made up 66.8 per cent of domestic travellers in the DOSM report, typically spent less, did not stay in hotels overnight and were harder for tourism businesses to keep track of. "Although their numbers are high, their economic impact is minimal compared with genuine leisure travellers," he said. As such, Wong cautioned against relying solely on the DOSM report to assess tourism success. "While the survey can offer preliminary insights into trends, its limitations in methodology, sample size and definitions make it insufficient to measure the true performance of major tourism destinations. "For a state like Penang — known for its high-quality tourism, cultural experiences and world-class arts events — the sector's contribution cannot be captured through a single household survey," Wong said.
New Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Exco: Boon Siew Villa not under Unesco, state, or national protection list
Boon Siew Villa in Batu Ferringhi, which was recently demolished to make way for a luxury condominium project, is outside the George Town United Nationas Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation World Heritage Site, a state executive councillor said. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the property, once the residence of Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, known as 'Mr Honda', was not listed under national or state heritage protection. "The private property is outside George Town's World Heritage Area," he told the New Straits Times. The demolition of the villa has sparked strong reactions from heritage advocates and Penangites, who see the loss as another blow to the island's cultural identity. The villa, regarded as a symbol of Penang's colonial-era architecture, was listed in the Penang Built Heritage Inventory in 2012. On whether the property should have been protected, Wong said there were other landmarks, such as Wisma Boon Siew and Jalan Loh Boon Siew, that still existed in the state capital here. "There are many properties and land banks under the family of Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew. There is even one Boon Siew Building in neighbouring Singapore." Earlier this week, the state government confirmed that all technical and safety requirements had been met for the luxury condominium project, despite public concern over traffic congestion and safety in the area. Last October, it was reported that Singaporean real estate and lodging company The Ascott Ltd was partnering with Malaysian developer Instant Icon Sdn Bhd to develop Ascott Residences Batu Ferringhi, which is set to welcome residents from January 2028. Ascott country general manager for Malaysia, Mondi Mecja, had said that the greenfield development would feature 99 residences for sale and the project was expected to break new ground in Penang's luxury living market, with a strong focus on owner occupation. The development would feature a diverse selection of spacious living options, ranging from 185sq m to 370sq m, along with a penthouse exceeding 740sq m. The NST has contacted both The Ascott Ltd and Instant Icon for comment.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Penang to launch track and trace system to safeguard local durian industry
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will roll out a smart Track and Trace system starting June 1 to allow comprehensive monitoring of locally grown durians, particularly from Balik Pulau, timed with the arrival of the upcoming fruit season. State Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the initiative, developed in collaboration with MIMOS Sdn Bhd, aims to address complaints from growers regarding fraudulent sales and and the misrepresentation of Penang durians. 'There have been many cases where durians from other states are falsely claimed to be from Balik Pulau, Penang, which sidelines our local growers. Some vendors even sell Thai durians by the roadside and market them as Penang durians when they're not,' he said when contacted today. Fahmi expressed hope that the tracking technology will help curb such practices by enhancing product traceability, improving regulatory compliance, and restoring consumer confidence in the Penang durian brand. He added that the initiative is also part of the state's broader efforts to strengthen the industry and protect the livelihoods of local growers. The project is a collaboration between the State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), Department of Agriculture, Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS), and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) in Penang. Fahmi said Malaysian durians, particularly those from Penang, are in high demand overseas due to their quality, backed by the myGAP certification recognised by importing countries such as China. Last year, Penang exported 67,203 kilogrammes of durians. Among the most sought-after varieties are Musang King (D197) and Ochee or Black Thorn (D200). The latest registered clones introduced in the state in 2023 include Kim Long D230 and Cenderawasih D229. Penang is home to over 30 durian varieties, including Dato Nina (D2), Lipan Bara, Ikan Emas, Kulit Hijau (D165), Tekka (D160), Labu (D163), Lipan, Kunyit, Ang Bak Kia, Khoon Poh (D164), Ais Krim, Lin Feng Jiao, Muntri (D14), and Yi Dian Hong.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Penang launches durian tracking system starting June 1
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will roll out a smart Track and Trace system starting June 1 to allow comprehensive monitoring of locally grown durians, particularly from Balik Pulau, timed with the arrival of the upcoming fruit season. State Agrotechnology, Food Security and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the initiative, developed in collaboration with MIMOS Sdn Bhd, aims to address complaints from growers regarding fraudulent sales and and the misrepresentation of Penang durians. 'There have been many cases where durians from other states are falsely claimed to be from Balik Pulau, Penang, which sidelines our local growers. Some vendors even sell Thai durians by the roadside and market them as Penang durians when they're not,' he said when contacted today. Fahmi expressed hope that the tracking technology will help curb such practices by enhancing product traceability, improving regulatory compliance, and restoring consumer confidence in the Penang durian brand. He added that the initiative is also part of the state's broader efforts to strengthen the industry and protect the livelihoods of local growers. The project is a collaboration between the State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA), Department of Agriculture, Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS), and the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) in Penang. Fahmi said Malaysian durians, particularly those from Penang, are in high demand overseas due to their quality, backed by the myGAP certification recognised by importing countries such as China. Last year, Penang exported 67,203 kilogrammes of durians. Among the most sought-after varieties are Musang King (D197) and Ochee or Black Thorn (D200). The latest registered clones introduced in the state in 2023 include Kim Long D230 and Cenderawasih D229. Penang is home to over 30 durian varieties, including Dato Nina (D2), Lipan Bara, Ikan Emas, Kulit Hijau (D165), Tekka (D160), Labu (D163), Lipan, Kunyit, Ang Bak Kia, Khoon Poh (D164), Ais Krim, Lin Feng Jiao, Muntri (D14), and Yi Dian Hong.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Penang to launch track, trace system to safeguard local durian industry
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will roll out a smart Track and Trace system starting June 1 to allow comprehensive monitoring of locally grown durians, particularly from Balik Pulau, timed with the arrival of the upcoming fruit season. State Agrotechnology, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Committee chairman Fahmi Zainol said the initiative, developed in collaboration with MIMOS Sdn Bhd, aims to address growers' complaints regarding fraudulent sales and the misrepresentation of Penang durians. "There have been many cases where durians from other states are falsely claimed to be from Balik Pulau, Penang, which sidelines our local growers. Some vendors even sell Thai durians by the roadside and market them as Penang durians when they're not," he said when contacted on Thursday (May 22). Fahmi expressed hope that the tracking technology would help curb such practices by enhancing product traceability, improving regulatory compliance, and restoring consumer confidence in the Penang durian brand. He added that the initiative is also part of the state's broader efforts to strengthen the industry and protect the livelihoods of local growers. The project was a collaboration between the State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, Agriculture Department, Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry in Penang. Fahmi said Malaysian durians, particularly those from Penang, are in high demand overseas due to their quality, backed by the myGAP certification recognised by importing countries such as China. Last year, Penang exported 67,203 kilogrammes of durians. Among the most sought-after varieties are Musang King (D197) and Ochee or Black Thorn (D200). The latest registered clones introduced in the state in 2023 include Kim Long D230 and Cenderawasih D229. Penang is home to over 30 durian varieties, including Dato Nina (D2), Lipan Bara, Ikan Emas, Kulit Hijau (D165), Tekka (D160), Labu (D163), Lipan, Kunyit, Ang Bak Kia, Khoon Poh (D164), Ais Krim, Lin Feng Jiao, Muntri (D14) and Yi Dian Hong. – Bernama
