LONDON: The recent floods and heavy rain will not affect tourism in Penang, says Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
He said, given the authorities’ experience in handling natural disasters coupled with the numerous mechanisms in place, he is confident that Penang will soon be back on its feet to welcome tourists to the island.
Nazri was speaking after the launch of the Malaysian Pavilion at the World Travel Market here yesterday.
“We work with the state government and if the places that are affected are tourist products, we will provide help as soon as possible to clear the affected area so that they will be restored,” he said.
In the aftermath of the floods which hit the state last weekend, one of Penang’s key tourist draws, Penang Hill, had its funicular train service suspended after a landslide partially covered part of its tracks.
Nazri said he is confident that all relevant agencies will pool their resources together and help solve the problems brought about by the floods.
“This is our standard operating procedure. Whenever areas, including tourist sites, are affected by problems such as floods, we will deal directly with the state government and obtain feedback from them on what actions we can take to help them recover as soon as possible.”
Nazri said that in 2014 and 2015, floods had also affected a number of areas.
“However, statistics show that these incidents did not affect tourist arrivals to Malaysia. This is why I’m saying that we have enough experience to cope and solve the problems. I am not worried at all,” he said.
Meanwhile, Penang Global Tourism chief executive officer, Ooi Chok Yan, echoed Nazri’s confidence and said the floods would not affect tourist arrivals.
“Until now, there have been no reports of hotel booking cancellations although some flights had been delayed,” he said.
He said the situation is being monitored and state agencies are working nonstop to help with recovery efforts.
“The Penang Island City Council is working nonstop to identify some of the areas affected. For example, alternative routes have been set up in instances where some roads have been closed off. They are working round the clock to ensure that normalcy is resumed.
“We live in a world where news travels fast via social media, so you’ll see many pictures of the floods. I just want to tell people that soon, things will be back to normal.”