Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy, YB Wong Hon Wai, is currently leading a delegation from Penang State Government, together with Penang tourism industry players, to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, to jointly carry out the “Penang Impression • Sichuan Harmony” tourism promotion roadshow in collaboration with Sichuan Airlines.
“Chengdu, as one of the most representative core cities in Southwest China, is not only economically vibrant with a large population base, but also a major aviation and tourism hub in the region. Notably, Sichuan Airlines officially launched a scheduled direct flight between Chengdu and Penang on 30 April 2025, and the service was further increased to daily flights from late October 2025, significantly enhancing flight frequency. Against the backdrop of strengthening direct air connectivity, choosing Chengdu as the first stop to promote Penang tourism for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 is both timely and strategic, and is crucial to deepening tourism exchanges and two-way visitor flows between the two destinations.”
“The direct Chengdu–Penang route operated by Sichuan Airlines has not only substantially shortened the physical distance between the two places, but also symbolizes a new milestone in tourism, cultural, and even economic and trade exchanges between Penang and Southwest China. In the past, many travelers from inland Chinese cities had to make multiple transfers to reach Penang, resulting in long and inconvenient journeys. Since the launch of the direct flight, travel between the two destinations has become more direct and efficient, with exchanges expanding in depth and scope. This development greatly enhances travel convenience for tourists and lays a more solid and long-term foundation for deeper cooperation in areas such as trade, education, and cultural exchange.”
“The Chengdu–Penang direct flight operated by Sichuan Airlines has made Chengdu the first inland Chinese city with a direct connection to Penang, symbolizing the establishment of a closer and more stable ‘air bridge’ between Penang and Southwest China. Since its launch, the route has received an enthusiastic market response, with increasingly evident complementary two-way passenger flows, injecting sustained momentum into people-to-people exchanges and tourism interactions.”
“With the official implementation of the mutual visa-free policy between Malaysia and China, this major positive development has provided strong support for Penang to welcome more Chinese visitors. In the past, visa applications often took weeks; today, potential travelers can decide on the spur of the moment—during their free time or over a weekend—pack lightly, and fly to Penang to personally experience the cultural richness and natural beauty of this coastal city.” said Wong in a press statement.
He also added that the combination of the Malaysia–China mutual visa-free policy and the Chengdu–Penang direct flights has created strong synergies, enabling the route to continue delivering impressive performance. To date, the Sichuan Airlines Chengdu–Penang route has operated more than 400 flights, carrying nearly 60,000 passengers, with an average load factor exceeding 80%, clearly demonstrating its strong market potential and promising development prospects.”
“For a long time, China has been one of Penang’s most important international source markets and is currently the second-largest source of tourists to Penang. This achievement not only reflects the high level of recognition by Chinese visitors of Penang’s tourism resources, city appeal, and multicultural character, but also encourages the Penang State Government and the tourism industry to continuously enhance tourism product design, service quality, and cultural experiences, in order to better meet the growing expectations of Chinese tourists for in-depth and high-quality travel experiences.”
“Penang and Chengdu each possess distinctive tourism resources that are highly complementary. Penang, a coastal city, is an international tourism destination that combines seaside charm with rich historical heritage. Chengdu, located in the heart of the Sichuan Basin and surrounded by mountains and rivers, boasts profound cultural depth and showcases the unique character of western China. Although the two destinations differ greatly in geographical environment, both share long-standing and deeply rooted cultural traditions—Chengdu carries the millennia-old legacy of the Shu-Han and Three Kingdoms era, while Penang embodies a unique character shaped by the fusion of Nanyang multicultural influences.”
“In terms of food culture, the two destinations complement each other perfectly. Penang, nurtured by a multicultural society, is widely known as a ‘food paradise’. Among its culinary highlights, durian—the ‘king of fruits’—is especially popular among Chinese tourists and is a must-try for many visitors. Chengdu, famous worldwide for hotpot and Sichuan cuisine, is equally beloved by Penang residents for its bold, spicy, and aromatic flavors. This mutual appreciation of food culture brings the people of both destinations closer together and adds a vibrant dimension to two-way tourism exchanges.”
“Through the ‘Penang Impression • Sichuan Harmony’ tourism promotion, Penang and Chengdu are able to further strengthen people-to-people ties through culture and cuisine, continuously advance two-way tourism exchanges, and move toward a new phase of cooperation that is broader in scope and more resilient,” Wong concluded.
Also attending the “Penang Impression • Sichuan Harmony” tourism promotion roadshow together with Wong are Penang Global Tourism Chief Executive Officer Ooi Chok Yan, Sichuan Airlines Commercial Committee leaders Deng Ling and Meng Zhongqiu, President of the Sichuan Travel Agencies Association Wang Zhaoxue, as well as representatives from the Penang tourism industry.