PENANG: Builders for industry events in Penang have created revenues of RM1.91 billion in the local economy in 2025, representing an increase of 47.7% over last year, confirming that Penang will continue to be one of Malaysia’s top destinations for high-value meetings and conventions.
According to the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), Penang’s business event market hosted an estimated 3,391 events in 2025 compared with 2,059 events during the year 2024, which is equal to a 64.7% increase. In total, an estimated 451,198 delegates attended and over 824,505 room nights were booked. All of this demonstrates growth across all Key Performance Indicators at nearly 48%.
Wong Hon Wai, Penang State Executive Councillor for Tourism and Creative Economy, said, “This is a clear indication that while the market is recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are also seeing a level of continued confidence from both event organisers and investors.”
According to Wong, the variety of business events that were conducted in 2022 continues to show that Penang has matured as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) destination and has the flexibility to accommodate many different types of events. Some examples of the sectors represented by business events conducted during the year 2022 include Science, Engineering, Healthcare, Sport, Law, Languages and Literature.
Wong noted that events hosted last year spanned a broad range of sectors, including science, engineering, healthcare, sports, legal, languages and literature, underscoring Penang’s maturity and flexibility as a MICE destination.
By attracting high-value conferences and exhibitions, he said, the sector supports the state’s long-term ambition of becoming a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy, while enhancing infrastructure and strengthening Penang’s international profile.
Looking ahead, Wong identified strong growth potential in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and marine-related industries, describing them as strategic sectors aligned with Penang’s broader economic priorities.
He added that connectivity remains a key driver of business travel. Penang is currently linked to more than 20 international cities via direct flights, with new routes to Qingdao and Chongqing in China, as well as Bengaluru in India, expected in 2026.
The state’s hospitality and venue capacity have also expanded. Among recent additions is the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre, which complements existing facilities and is positioned to host both business and cultural events.
Several international hotel brands are also in the pipeline, including Capri by Fraser, The Westin and InterContinental, developments that are expected to further strengthen the state’s capacity to host large-scale events.
PCEB chief executive officer Ashwin Gunasekeran said 2025 was also marked by strategic partnerships and intensified marketing efforts to widen Penang’s reach in key markets.
Building on the launch of the direct Chennai–Penang route by IndiGo in late 2024, he said the bureau rolled out familiarisation trips, press conferences and targeted campaigns to maximise the route’s impact and attract delegates and investors from India and beyond.
Among notable milestones was the signing of a memorandum of understanding with EaseMyTrip, aimed at integrating Penang more deeply into the global travel and business events ecosystem. PCEB also formalised collaboration with the Korea International Exhibition Centre (KINTEX) to strengthen industry cooperation.
Ashwin said the bureau has also introduced a personalised quarterly dashboard initiative to provide industry partners with actionable market intelligence, enabling them to anticipate trends and identify potential leads.
“As we approach Visit Malaysia Year 2026, we have launched the ‘Penang Inspiring Meetings’ campaign to position Penang as a transformative and experiential destination for business events,” he said.
The campaign includes curated incentives and expanded support for emerging sectors, aimed at ensuring Penang continues to capture the attention of the international business events community.
Marking its 10th anniversary this year, PCEB said it remains focused on nurturing partnerships, driving economic growth and delivering meaningful impact in line with the Penang 2030 vision.
