By V. Sivaji
The Penang International Airport (PIA) welcomed the inaugural flight from Guilin, China to Penang provided by Batik Air yesterday night.
Flight OD 695 landed at 7.45pm with some 75 passengers and were given a rousing traditional welcome ceremony.
Present to receive the guests was State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Wong Hon Wai, Consul-General of the Consulate of the People’s Republic of China Mr Zhou Youbin, Penang Global Tourism CEO Ooi Chok Yan, Batik Air general manager (Cargo & Business Development) S. Navarajan among other tourism stakeholders.
Also present was Tourism Malaysia deputy director for Northern Region, Pn Siti Hajar and MAH Penang Chapter chairman, Tony Goh.
Currently, the flights are scheduled every Sunday and Thursday on their B737-B fleet.
In his remarks Zhou said that as of August this year, the tourism industry in China has recovered up to 90 per cent compared to pre Covid period.
“Many of the Chinese tourists prefer to visit Malaysia because it is one of their popular destinations, “he added.
Wong added that he welcomed the Guilin-Penang flights as it will benefit the tourism stakeholders overall.
“Penang is also a double UNESCO World Heritage status recipient and there are many things to see and do in Penang for these tourists,” added Wong.
He also shared that during his recent visit to Shanghai recently, he also visited several airlines and local authorities to enhance relationships and promote tourism.
Meanwhile, Guilin is referred to as the “Jewel of China” and is also a double UNESCO Heritage status location.
According to Navarajan, Batik Air is already flying to Haikou, Canton and Chengdu in China from Kuala Lumpur.
Surely, the direct flight is an exciting boost for Penang’s tourism industry and its stakeholders.
Surely, the direct flight is an exciting boost for Penang’s tourism industry and its stakeholders.