Two Years…
 
Was the gap and damage done due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown. Shops closed, businesses stopped, tourism stood halt as the world were seemingly just stopped. After two years, hope resurfaced as Penang is now primed for a rebound with the arrival of international cruise once more. On July 2022, Penang Port recorded 13 international calls totaling nearly 35,000 passengers, which hailed from primarily from Singapore and much of Southeast Asia thanks to the arrival from Spectrum of the Seas and Genting Dream. All of this improvement owing much to the hard work from every party involved. Currently Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal has received some paramount upgrades with improved facilities to cater at most 12,000 passengers total at any given time and retail shops to accommodate both domestic and international guests. For the first time ever, Swettenham Pier has seen two mega size vessel berthing at the wharf – that means at about 700 meters worth of cruise vessels in line at the terminal, a truly historical achievement for Penang Port and also as the paradigm that boosts the tourism scenario as a whole. Penang forecasts at about 200,000 total passengers towards the end of 2022, proving the revival of the much-needed cruise tourism for Malaysia.
 
Penang Port sees full support from the state tourism as well, with several cultural performances prominent during the vessel arrival. Among those are Chingay - which has cultural significance that originated among the Chinese people in Penang. The signature of Chingay is the carrying of gigantic bamboo flags in street processions and have their roots recorded as early as 1905. Next is Gamelan, which refers to the traditional Nusantara percussion orchestra and to the set of musical instruments used. Consisting primarily of ornate, percussive instruments made of hand-forged metal, the ensemble typically includes xylophones, gongs, gong-chimes, drums, cymbals, string instruments and bamboo flutes.
 




The restart for the international cruise scenario connects holidaymakers with Asia’s beautiful destinations once again. Tourists around the globe are finally able to revisit the vibrancy and rich heritage of Malaysia’s history. Particularly in the George Town World Heritage Area. George Town have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. In 2008, the historical core of George Town has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists can visit up to 1,700 historical sites and more than 3,000 vendors within a 35-minute range within the Core and Buffer zones. The reemergence of the cruise in Penang shed hope for all the vendors in Penang, boosting their purchase power and finally restart the economic cycle within the heart of the city.
 


Now Penang Port can truly look forward to the future. Plans to expand and upgrade the rest of the terminal is now in the midst, and Penang Port’s vision of the terminal will include upgrades to the retail area
 


This planned development, coupled with several other improvements in play, will position Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal as the prime location to have leisure activities for local and tourists alike.