Penang Governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak with Chow and Yeoh on the main table
By V. Sivaji
After almost a month of food galore and festivities in conjunction with the Penang International Food Festival (PIFF) 2023, the curtains came down in a grand finale.
A colourful entertainment session along with fireworks lit up the sky.
The gathering was held at the Setia SPICE Rooftop where thousands of people gathered.
Lending support was Penang Governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, Penang Chief Minister YAB Chow Kon Yeow, State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Yeoh Soon Hin, the various consul-generals based in Penang and other stakeholders.
“The services sector, which includes tourism, is one of the key pillars of our economy, contributing 47.4 percent of the state’ gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, finally standing equal to the manufacturing sector.
“Looking ahead, Penang will continue to build on the strength of our services sector, along with manufacturing and the digital economy.
“This evening, we only celebrate the breadth of our culinary and cultural diversity at PIFF 2023, but also to shine a spotlight on Bayan Lepas. Since its inaugural edition in 2017, PIFF has played an important role in promoting Penang as a destination of choice for tourists who want to experience Penang through food,” said Chow.
Industry players gather at PIFF 2023
Meanwhile, Yeoh added that we must continue applying creativity and to diversify our tourism products to lure visitors to discover the hidden gems in Penang.
“This year, PIFF 2023 held mini festivals at multiple locations, with the aim of involving the local community and encouraging them to be part of the international festival. At the same time, we bring the crowd to places that are lesser known so that we can generate important spillovers to the wider economy.
“We took the bold step of hosting the opening weekend in Bertam, Kepala Batas, and introduced the smoky flavors of Kampung Terus, Penanti, homemade treats of Batu Maung, seafood delights at Batu Kawan, and even cooking sessions at our creative spot at Hin Bus Depot. We even infused Michelin eateries with our historical landmark at Fort Cornwallis to celebrate Penang’s best offerings.
“Through culinary tourism, visitors can connect more deeply with local living by exploring the history and foodways of other ethnicities, ages, socioeconomic classes that are unfamiliar to their home countries, and we can even explore locally grown products that can be promoted as souvenirs to share with our friends and family,” he said.
Several hotels namely, the Olive Tree Hotel, Lexis Suites Penang, Amari SPICE Penang, The Wembley-A St Giles Hotel and the G Hotel set up booths offering their specialities.
Other choices were food trucks, cafes, restaurants, Grabfood signature vendors and Michelin Guide winning outlets.
The crowd was entertained to cultural dance performances and live band shows.
Chow delivering his address
Popular pizza outlet