State executive councillor Wong Hon Wai said there had been large numbers of tourists, especially domestic visitors, since Friday (May 29) due to the extended holiday period, which began with the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration on Wednesday (May 27) which continued through the weekend to the Wesak Day and King’s birthday tomorrow.

The number of visitors using the Penang Hill funicular railway increased for three consecutive days, with 7,400 visitors on Thursday, 8,300 on Friday and 8,800 yesterday,” he told Bernama in George Town today.

Most hotels enjoyed high occupancy rates, especially those located at tourism hotspots, said hotelier Tony Goh, Penang branch chairman of the Malaysian Association of Hotels.

He said hotel occupancy rates during the school holiday weekend and Wesak Day celebration reached between 90% and 100%, further demonstrating Penang’s appeal as a family holiday destination.

“On average on weekdays, the hotel occupancy rate in Penang is around 70% but it is still considered good because there are currently many new hotels being added in the state, causing bookings on weekdays to be seen as quite slow.

“However, in conjunction with Aidiladha and this weekend, hotel room bookings, especially in the George Town and Batu Ferringhi areas, have increased significantly compared to normal days, with some hotels being fully booked,” he said, adding that the majority of visitors were domestic tourists.

He said several new hotels, which are expected to begin operations this year, would further boost Penang’s hospitality and tourism industry, while providing visitors with more accommodation options.

The increase in tourist arrivals has also caused traffic congestion on several major routes, particularly those leading to Batu Ferringhi, George Town, and Penang Hill during certain periods.