GEORGE TOWN – Penang’s roads were choked again, the second time in two weeks, as tourists made a beeline here to observe Wesak Day and celebrate the extended weekend break in conjunction with the festival.
Penang Bridge saw unusual traffic volume and popular street food haunts were bustling with people.
Chairman of the Penang chapter of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), Tony Goh, said that city hotel occupancy rates averaged up to between 60% and 80% while beach hotels recorded 90% occupancy over the weekend.
“It is a good sign but unfortunately hotels could not sell the maximum number of rooms or promote food and beverages due to a prolonged acute shortage of staff,” he said.
Goh said that hotels also needed spare rooms to accommodate early arrivals on the next day.
Penang MAH has about 90 members from the different establishments here.
Leave has been frozen for many hotel and hospitality staff as employers are still struggling to find workers.
The resumption of tourism also saw the continued revival of Penang’s performing arts scene. The Penang Players Music and Drama Society showcased an adult comedy stage play entitled A Couple of Secrets.
The show was held at the Wawasan Open University auditorium.
Before an encouraging number of attendees, the four actors – Rachel Yeoh, Adrian Chang, Ian Lee and Fariza Ariffin – had the audience in stitches with their comedic dialogue. The play was directed by Lawrence Chin.
Penang Players chairman Joelle Saint-Arnoult expects this year to be busy for the society.
“The society has to put on two shows in the first half of 2022,” she said. The group staged A Plague Upon Your House, a local play, recently.
The Penang Philharmonic Orchestra is also making a comeback next month with a concert entitled Memories of Music, with the star player being its trombonist Ong Aun Guan. – The Vibes, May 15, 2022
