Penang pushes for additional direct flights to China ahead of extended holidays

Ahead of a lengthy holiday period that links the Mid-Autumn Festival (Sept 25-27) with the National Day Golden Week (Oct 1-7), Penang is seeking to broaden its direct air connections with China. Wong Hon Wai, chair of the State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee, convened Chinese airline representatives in Kuala Lumpur to gauge interest and assess market data for the extended break, which could provide up to 13 consecutive days of leave for Chinese travelers.

Existing nonstop routes link Penang with Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Qingdao, and Hainan Airlines will launch a Haikou service on Oct 11. Wong highlighted northern China as a growth area, noting that Qingdao is the sole city in that region with a direct link and urging airlines to consider additional cities. Discussions also touched on the winter flight schedule from later this year into early next year, aiming to cement Penang’s role as a regional tourism hub.