One of 15 balloons to be featured at the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta on 21 and 22 February. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 26, 2015.Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today said the state government was upbeat on the prospect of cooperating with the Tourism and Culture Ministry to help boost the arrival of both local and international tourists into the country.Lim said he was optimistic that the collaboration would be fruitful and would benefit the state and national economies, following feedback on sagging tourist arrivals in several states in Malaysia at the end of last year.“We hope to have more events together with Tourism Malaysia," he said, adding that Penang’s tourism figures for last year, which have yet to be tabulated and announced, were not significantly hampered.Lim’s comments came in the wake of visible support from Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz for tourism initiatives in Penang.Nazri had last year openly supported the state’s plan to ban foreign cooks at hawker stalls, to house the Colonial Penang Museum and to organise the George Town Festival. Nazri and Lim also attended together the celebrations to mark the 228th anniversary of Fort Cornwallis on August 7 last year.Lim added that Penang had not been affected by lower arrivals from China although there was concern of reduced interest among China nationals visiting Malaysia following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on March 8 last year.The flight vanished while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with a 12-person crew and 227 passengers on board, including 152 citizens of China.“We have to work harder to get the tourists," Lim said, adding that the state would work with the ministry to lay particular focus on getting more Asean and domestic visitors.Lim was speaking at a press conference to announce the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta to be held on February 21 and 22 at the Padang Polo on the island.Also present were Tourism Malaysia state deputy director Haryanty Abu Bakar and programme partner AKA Balloon Sdn Bhd finance manager Maimoon Mohd.The RM650,000 event is sponsored by the state and held in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, a division of the Tourism Ministry.The ministry will cooperate with the Penang Island Municipal Council and state agency Penang Global Tourism in holding the event which will feature a total of 15 balloons.
Lim said three of the balloons would remain tethered and open for rides to the public at RM25 per person, while a “cold inflation balloon" would allow individuals to pose for photographs inside the balloon at RM5 per person.“We hope to make the balloon fiesta an annual event," Lim said, noting that the only other place to feature a balloon festival was Putrajaya.He added that a series of festivals, including the George Town Festival in August, would be vital to strengthening the tourism appeal of Penang. – January 26, 2015.
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