Latest news with #WongHonWai
The Star
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
AirAsia eyes increased connectivity to Penang in regional expansion push
GEORGE TOWN: AirAsia is actively exploring the possibility of increasing flight connectivity to and from Penang as part of its ongoing regional growth strategy, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening regional accessibility. AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra said the airline is currently evaluating several potential new routes involving Penang, one of Malaysia's most popular travel destinations. "We will be doing a lot more study on it. One thing is for sure, as an airline, our job and business is to connect places and people. But of course, we also need to ensure that the connectivity is sustainable. "So, there are many destinations we want to connect to Penang," he told reporters after a press conference on 'AirAsia RedRun lands in Malaysia for the first time in Penang', which was also attended by State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, here today. Elaborating further, Fareh said any expansion plans must align with operational sustainability and long-term viability, with the airline particularly focused on 'low-hanging fruit' routes that demonstrate strong demand and immediate commercial potential. While no specific new routes have been confirmed yet, he indicated that AirAsia's focus remains on regional destinations, with plans to enhance Penang's connectivity within ASEAN and nearby markets. Meanwhile, Wong said AirAsia carried over 1.8 million passengers through Penang across the region in just the first half of this year and contributes 38 per cent of passenger aircraft arrivals at Penang International Airport based on airport data. "Currently, AirAsia connects Penang to seven international cities, namely Bangkok, Medan, Jakarta, Surabaya, Shenzhen, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, and five domestic destinations, including Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi. "There are 239 weekly AirAsia flights to Penang from international and domestic destinations. Additionally, it facilitates connections from other international cities via the AirAsia Fly-thru programme and provides timely transit flights from international cities through KLIA to Penang," he added. AirAsia is bringing its highly anticipated RedRun to Penang for the first time, marking the next leg of the airline's regional initiative to energise travel and spotlight key tourism destinations across ASEAN. The RedRun Penang will take place on Sept 28 at Gurney Plaza, inviting thousands of participants from across the region to join in three race categories: 3 kilometres (km), 5 km, and 10 km. Registration for the RedRun is open until Aug 18, 2025. - Bernama
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
AirAsia plans expanded Penang flights to boost regional connectivity
GEORGE TOWN: AirAsia is considering expanding flight routes to Penang as part of its regional growth strategy, aiming to enhance connectivity for one of Malaysia's top tourist hubs. The airline is assessing potential new destinations while ensuring operational sustainability and commercial viability. AirAsia Malaysia CEO Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra stated that the airline prioritises routes with strong demand. 'Our role is to connect places and people, but sustainability is key. We're studying multiple Penang routes,' he said during the 'AirAsia RedRun' press conference. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai highlighted AirAsia's significant role in Penang's air traffic, with 1.8 million passengers in the first half of 2024. The airline operates 239 weekly flights, linking Penang to seven international and five domestic destinations, including Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia's RedRun event will debut in Penang on September 28 at Gurney Plaza, featuring 3km, 5km, and 10km races. Registrations close on August 18, 2025. - Bernama
The Star
05-07-2025
- The Star
Three-day George Town Heritage Celebrations kick off with cultural workshop
GEORGE TOWN: The three-day George Town Heritage Celebrations (GTHC) 2025 in Penang kicked off with a cultural workshop on Saturday (July 5) evening. Held at Armenian Park, Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple, Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi and along surrounding streets, it attracted a crowd of thousands. Featuring some two-dozen interactive activities, the workshop allowed locals and tourists alike to experience and learn about traditional art forms, games, handicraft, rituals, cuisines, dialects and more. There was also an interactive stage where various communities put on inviting dances that convinced many spectators to get up and join in the fun. Also present were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, state tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai and other state and community leaders. The celebration continues on Sunday (July 6) with the George Town Heritage Walk flagging off from Beach Street at around 7am. Around 2,000 participants have signed up for the 5km early morning stroll whose route was designed to take in some of the city's most iconic sights and structures. On Monday (July 7) - which is Heritage Day and a public holiday in Penang - there will be Open Houses across eight heritage buildings from 9am to 5pm. They are the Kwangtung and Tengchow Association, Makam Dato Koyah, Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh, Nam Hooi Wooi Koon, St. George's Church Sun Wui Wui Koon, Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple and the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) building. This will give the public a rare opportunity to explore the structures and learn about their historical significance and preservation efforts. GTCH 2025 is themed Doors and Doorways in reference to the event serving as a gateway to the city's rich cultural tapestry, community legacies and lesser-known narratives. The celebrations started in 2009 in commemoration of George Town's Unesco World Heritage inscription alongside Melaka a year earlier (2008).
The Star
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sure or not: Penang rebukes tourism survey, cites official hotel data to prove it has more tourist visits than Perak
GEORGE TOWN: Penang has strongly refuted findings from a recent Statistics Malaysia Department report that the state trailed Perak in attracting domestic tourists in 2024, citing official hotel stay data that paints a far different picture. State tourism committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said that the 'Domestic Tourism Survey 2024' released by the department was a sample-based study and not a reflection of actual tourism figures. 'The survey is based on sampling and questionnaire feedback, not actual hotel records,' Wong said in a statement. 'While this method is widely used in research, its accuracy hinges on the sample size and how well it represents the population', he said. According to Wong, only 204 Enumeration Blocks were sampled in Penang out of 2,819 nationwide — a figure he said was too small to draw meaningful conclusions about the state's tourism performance. 'Such a limited sample cannot reflect the true strength of Penang's tourism sector,' he said. Wong instead cited Tourism Malaysia's official hotel statistics that showed Penang recorded 5.2 million domestic tourists and three million international tourists in 2024, totalling over 8.2 million hotel guests. In contrast, he said, Perak only recorded about 4.18 million domestic hotel stays. He also questioned the survey's methodology, adding that respondents were household members asked to recall trips over the past year — a process he described as 'retrospective and highly subjective.' 'The survey was not conducted at airports, hotels, or tourist attractions but through household interviews, which is unsuitable for high-impact destinations like Penang,' Wong said. He further criticised the inclusion of day-trippers—who made up 66.8% of respondents—as skewing the data. Many, he noted, were likely returning to their hometowns during festive seasons like Hari Raya, which does not constitute tourism in the economic sense. 'These visitors typically don't stay overnight, spend less, and have limited direct economic impact,' he said. 'This distorts the picture, especially for states with more premium tourism offerings.' While acknowledging that Statistics Malaysia Department's survey may offer some insight into travel trends, Wong said it should not be used to assess tourism performance, particularly in states with strong hotel and hospitality industries. 'The data we should trust is the actual records of hotel stays and tourism receipts, which clearly show Penang's continued strength as one of Malaysia's top travel destinations,' he added.
New Straits Times
03-07-2025
- 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.
