The Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) launched its annual roadshow to India in Mumbai at the Four Seasons Hotel as part of the Penang Roadshow to India 2020. Beginning the roadshow in Mumbai on 13th Jan, the Penang delegation will continue on to New Delhi on 15 Jan, Chennai on 17 Jan and Kochi on 20 Jan with the objective of promoting Penang as the preferred destination for corporate and association meetings, conferences, and incentives, and leisure travel.
Penang is world-class travel destination, one that is famed for its unique offerings of a modern international island city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lush rainforests, beautiful hill station, shopping galore and fabulous food. Additionally, this Northern Malaysian state is one of the world’s top travel destinations.
Capitalising on Penang’s rising popularity in India, the Penang Roadshow to India will host, in each of the four cities it is visiting, a B2B engagement session with participating Business Events and leisure travel buyers from India as well as a media session with the local Indian and Business Events media.
Led by The Hon. Mr Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang State Minister for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage, and Mr. Ashwin Gunasekeran, Chief Executive Officer of PCEB, the roadshow is supported by a Penang delegation of 14 partners, including hotels, destination management companies, attractions, professional conference organisers and event experts.
“The number of Indian travellers to Penang has also increased in recent years. The Penang Immigration Department reported that for the period between Jan to Dec 2019, 61,847 Indian travellers visited via the Penang International Airport and Penang Swettenham Port (cruise liners) compared to 43,537 in the same period in 2018. This is a 42% increase, making it one of the healthiest growths we have experienced. India is one of the top five markets for Business Events in Penang, and over the past years, we have received encouraging interest from event planners and conference organisers. In 2019, 4% of Business Events of Asia Pacific origin was from India, contributing RM268.6 million (USD 65.89 million in estimated economic impact.” said Mr Ashwin Gunasekeran, Chief Executive Officer of PCEB.