He said some key works for the project have been completed, such as the deep foundation works and reinforced concrete piles for the multi-storey car park.

“Construction continues across the Garden Station, Turn Hill and Hill Station, alongside the installation of cable car equipment, three batches of which have already arrived,” he told reporters at an event on Penang Hill here.

Chow also said slope stabilisation was progressing well, while restoration and landscaping at the Botanic Gardens would be completed before the service opens.

The 2.73km main line for the Penang Hill cable car project will run from the Botanic Gardens to the hill’s summit, climbing 700m above sea level in under 10 minutes.

It will feature 50 eight-seat gondolas, moving up to 1,400 passengers per hour each way. It is expected to be completed by early next year.

Chow said the project would improve access to the iconic hill and strengthen the overall visitor experience in the years ahead.

He added that Penang Hill remained one of the state’s key tourism attractions, with the funicular railway recording 1.9 million riders in 2025.

Chow also said tourist spending in Penang had risen in recent years, with average expenditure per tourist increasing from RM2,792 in 2022 to RM3,443 in 2025.

He said this reflected confidence in Penang as a tourism destination and the growth of higher-quality tourism offerings, including nature-based experiences such as The Habitat – a rainforest park on Penang Hill.

Chow added that Penang Hill’s growth showed that tourism, conservation and education could work together.

The chief minister was speaking at The Habitat’s 10th anniversary celebration, where it also launched Journey Through The Habitat – a commemorative journal marking the milestone.