‘Hot and Spicy Penang’ launched as part of island rebranding

GEORGE TOWN: Want to know about the world of spices? Take “The Hot and Spicy Penang The Spice Trail” here.

This is in line with the Tourism Ministry's efforts to rebrand Penang's existing products and charms and give them a new perspective. Tourism Ministry's Penang Office director Jaime Yeoh said the spices concept would give participants the opportunity to experience, discover and feel. She said the trail, which promotes parks and gardens, Malaysian spas and local food, incorporates the living cultures of George Town as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

‘Seasoned’ travellers: Participants learning about spices at the Tropical Spice Garden in Penang.

“For example, the Little India Discovery Trail shows how the trade is synonymous with Indian culture in Penang. “Another segment is the Penang Botanic Gardens, which holds the history of the spice trade in Asia that led to the formation of the gardens,” she said during a trial run of the trail yesterday..

Some 40 people comprising bloggers, hoteliers, tour guide association representatives as well as officials from the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia took part in the run. Yeoh added that a lunch, held at the D' Dapur restaurant in Beach Street, is incorporated to show how spices are used in Malay cuisine.

Another segment of the trail is where spices are shown in their natural surroundings at the Tropical Spice Garden in Teluk Bahang, and participants end their trail with a spa therapy session. Yeoh hoped tour operators will include the trail into their tour packages.

One of the participants, blogger and expatriate Dr Angelo Nino Santos, 35, from the Philippines, said that the trail was engaging and informative. Another blogger Lam Ching Feei, 31, said that it would be better if the trail was also conducted in the Chinese language. “Those who understand Chinese better would understand the explanation if they provided some Chinese terms. “The trail is excellent and educational. I've learnt more about herbs and spices,” she said.

-thestar online.