Tourism boost for Penang

Penang will be declared an eco-tourism and heritage city by the Tourism Promotion Organisation (TPO) effective today.


Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail said the decision would be made known today by the TPO secretariat at the launch of the first TPO Friendship Park in front of the City Bayview Hotel. “To enhance the image, we are considering implementing green energy-powered transportation such as trams and buses. “These projects are subjected to the approval of the Transport Ministry,” she added.

On the TPO Friendship Park, Patahiyah said Penang was proposing for each TPO city to have a TPO Friendship Park. Patahiyah was speaking after the launch of the 5th TPO Forum 2012 by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Heritage beauties: TPO Forum participants - (from left) Korean Culture and Economy Bureau director-general Kim Sin, Korean Tourism Resources Division's Kim Hyeong-Jo and Tourism Promotion Division chief Suh Kyoung Chan - viewing photos of Penang's famous buildings after the launching ceremony.

About 75 delegates from Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, China, Japan and Malaysia attended the three-day forum yesterday. Among the delegates were TPO president Li Zhi Xin and TPO secretary-general Hwan Myung Joo. George Town, Kota Kinabalu, Ipoh, Malacca and Kota Baru are the Malaysian cities in the TPO, which have 66 cities from 11 Asia Pacific countries as members.

Earlier in his speech, Lim said there was a need to review Penang’s focus and strategies for the leisure travel market such as the long stay, medical and education tourism programmes. “A working framework to formulate marketing and promotion initiatives for the benefit of all the city members must be adopted and implemented. “Tourism development plans and strategies should benefit not only large corporations, but must also give benefit to the community around tourist destinations,” he said.
-thestar online.