A TOTAL of 4,000 new rooms are anticipated to be ready by 2034 to accommodate the increasing demands of the tourism sector in Penang.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said these rooms would be available through more than 10 new hotels, which the state expects to be completed over the next decade.
He said there is no oversupply of hotel rooms in Penang and that there remains a genuine need for more accommodations.
"We actually need more rooms. There are not enough hotels in Penang, so there is room for growth," he said after attending a signing ceremony between MTT Hospitality Group and Pan Pacific Hotels Group.
Pan Pacific will assume management of the Evergreen Hotel, located on Gurney Drive, which was recently acquired by the local conglomerate MTT Group.
The property will be renamed The Gurney Bay Hotel, a Parkroyal Partner Hotel.
Chow noted that tourism is thriving in Penang, with arrival statistics indicating that approximately seven million tourists visited the northern state last year.
He added that tourism plays a crucial role in the state's development masterplan, Vision 2030.
Signing on behalf of MTT was group chairman Datuk Seri Kenny Ong, while Pan Pacific was represented by its chief executive officer, Choe Peng Sum.
According to Datuk Khoo Boo Lim, vice-president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels, there are currently over 16,000 registered hotel rooms in Penang.
He acknowledged the demand for hotels as tourism is rapidly gaining momentum in the state, but also stressed the importance of attracting quality tourists who are willing to spend more. - August 22, 2024. – August 22, 2024.
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