An unprecedented number of cruise ship arrivals in 2017 is showing that Penang's tourism business is changing, especially for retail players, according to Datuk Tan Teik Cheng, Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman.
The growth prompted PPC to research methods for sharing marketing knowledge with tourism entrepreneurs in Penang to prepare enriching experiences that are tailor-made for cruise ship guests.
From January through June, cruise ships made 125 visits to Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal, carrying a total of 264,000 tourists.
In the whole of 2016, a total of 230,000 passengers came via 150 cruise ship calls.