TravTalk India Online Magazine
Penang Sales Mission, led by Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO, PCEB, was supported by a delegation of 17 partners from the Malaysian state.
TT Bureau
Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) started Penang Sales Mission to India to promote Penang as the preferred destination for corporate and association meetings, incentives, and leisure travel. The four-city sales mission kicked off in Kolkata, followed by New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. With a good mix of leisure and MiCE, Penang offers good connectivity and numerous facilities to the industry. Among the three convention bureaus, PCEB is one that facilitates and eases execution of the programme.
“India is the sixth highest generator of tourists to Malaysia. This mission is joined by Penang’s finest offerings to India”
The tremendous growth in global travellers, especially from backpackers to flashpackers who spend a little more and explore further, has also fueled travel from Tier-II and III cities to Penang. In 2016, Penang recorded 1251 events with an estimated economic impact of $200 million. From January to September 2017 it hosted 1731 events with an estimated economic impact of $230 million. This translates to a 27.7 per cent increase in the number of events, and a 7 per cent increase in the estimated economic impact. “India is one of the top five markets for business events in Penang, and over the past year we have received encouraging interest from event planners and conference organisers. India is the sixth highest generator of tourists to Malaysia. This mission is joined by some of Penang’s finest offerings in the hospitality, travel and events sectors, and will showcase the best of what Penang can offer to the Indian market,” said Ashwin Gunasekeran, Chief Executive Officer, PCEB.
For good connectivity from India to Penang, PCEB recently signed an MoU of strategic partnership with Malaysia Airlines to facilitate flights from India to Penang via Kuala Lumpur. It will also be introducing more incentives in this partnership.
