GEORGE TOWN: RM15 per person for an island tour of Penang? This is probably the cheapest travel package to be offered, which is a collaborative effort by the Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association, the state government and travel organisations.
The association’s Penang chapter chairman Andy Chuah said the nominal amount is to woo domestic tourists to the “Pearl of the Orient” in a bid to reboot tourism, which has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The packages range from RM15 to RM1,000, from a half-day to a three-night stay with tours starting from 9am until 6pm.
Eighty travel agents are offering the packages, and those interested can scout for deals online at penangtraveldeals.com.
About 12 packages have been planned until October to entice Malaysians and local residents to visit the attractions and enjoy the gastronomic fare the island state has boasted for over a century, Chuah said.
On reports that many Malaysians now prefer to travel as independent travellers by booking via online travel sites out of concern over the pandemic, Chuah advised tourists to check the costs carefully.
“We are offering packages specially tailored to individuals, couples and families.
“If you drive from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, the cost is about RM100 per group for toll and fuel. But if you take our package, the cost is about RM60 per group.
“The money you save can be spent bingeing on street food here,” he said.
Online travel services are not as cheap as one believes due to growing reliance on the cyber world, he added.
Conventional travel packages are also competitive, Chuah said.
“Travellers should consider the packages specially customised for domestic tourists,” he said, adding that by travelling in groups, families can also de-stress instead of getting caught in traffic jams.
He also said the groups would be required to practise social distancing and disinfection measures when on tours throughout Penang.
Chuah said some of the packages included tours of the mainland, which many travellers have seldom seen because tourism used to be island-centric.
State executive councillor in charge of tourism, Yeoh Soon Hin, said the packages allow visitors a chance to see Penang at bargain rates.
He added that the travel agents will adopt the new norm when ferrying tourists around the state.
Read the story on our iPaper: Penang offers RM15 tour deal
