Following the recent decision of the Federal Government’s to cease the existing expansion plan for the Penang International Airport (PIA), the Penang state government expressed its discontent.
Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, Yeoh Soon Hin says that the move will impede the state’s tourism development and economic recovery.
“The Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong’s announcement that halting expansion plans until the aviation industry recovers to pre-pandemic levels is another proof that justifies the lack of foresight in Prime Minister Datuk Sri Ismail Sabri’s cabinet.
“The winning formula here is to plan in advance. As nations across the globe start to mull the full recovery of tourism, postponing our expansion plan will significantly reduce tourist traffic due to insufficient space to accommodate potential flights, domestically and internationally,”
“PIA is one of the important gateways to destinations in Southeast Asia. Without this expansion, PIA will not have adequate capacity to host the potential influx of international flights, which will also harm the entire tourism ecosystem, including cruise tourism,” said Yeoh in a press statement.
Yeoh also denounced that the Federal Government’s bungling efforts in PIA’s expansion has and will continue to impact the state in terms of its future planning and tourism economic recovery.
“This is the best time to expand, especially when we have less incoming flights and tourist arrivals,” he added.