GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s tourism sector is set to receive a significant boost with the announcement of a new daily direct flight between Chennai, India, and Penang by IndiGo Airlines, said Penang State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee (Petace) chairman Wong Hon Wai. Wong stated that starting December 21, the new route will be the only direct connection between the two cities, and tickets are now available for purchase on IndiGo’s official website.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the launch of this route is a key development in Penang’s efforts to strengthen ties with India. This initiative follows Wong’s visit to India earlier this year, during which he promoted Penang’s tourism and business offerings and discussed potential collaborations with Indian tourism stakeholders, including IndiGo. Wong expressed confidence that this direct connection will significantly boost travel, business, and family visits between India and Penang, further strengthening economic and cultural ties.

Wong highlighted the sig
nificant economic and cultural ties between Penang and Tamil Nadu, particularly with Chennai. As the fifth-largest city in India with a population exceeding 12 million, the Chennai-Penang route holds immense potential for passenger traffic. Despite India currently being absent from Penang’s top 10 tourist source countries, Wong believes that the new route will quickly position India as one of the state’s top tourism markets.

Wong also emphasized that Petace is committed to a strategy of diversifying Penang’s source markets to ensure sustainable tourism growth. By attracting a range of international tourists, Penang aims to increase its global visibility while minimizing dependency on a single market and spreading market risk.