PENANG Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow stressed the importance of moving beyond tourist arrivals to emphasising the value each visitor generates.
During his speech at the Penang Hoteliers Association (PHA) 69th anniversary dinner, Chow said attracting visitors is only the first step, stressing that the real objective is to maximise the spillover benefits across the tourism ecosystem.
While Penang stands proud in luring tourists after the pandemic years with record numbers of flight passengers and high hotel occupancy rates, the influx has only generated serious congestion and overcrowding in some localities.
Chow told hoteliers that for Penang, the priority is clear; the state must move from measuring visitors to value.
“Bringing people here is necessary, but it is only the start. What matters is what visitors do after they arrive, how long they stay, what they experience and how their spending circulates through our economy,” he said.
Chow pointed out that Penang has been collecting data on tourist arrivals, hotel occupancy and tourism receipts, but the next challenge is to better connect these insights to understand how visitor spending benefited various sectors.
He said this will help policymakers gauge the economic impact on hotels, restaurants, attractions, retailers, transport operators, tour guides, cultural practitioners and small and medium enterprises.
Chow also called for stronger collaboration among tourism stakeholders to create a more seamless and memorable visitor experience.
Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin called for closer collaboration between the hospitality industry, tourism operators and the state to further strengthen Penang’s tourism sector. - August 24, 2026.
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