Malaysia spotlights tourism product in Sarawak & Penang at Vancouver event

Tourism developments in a city and state in tropical Southeast Asia were in the spotlight for a travel industry gathering last week, held by the Consulate General of Malaysia in Vancouver.

The city of Penang and the state of Sarawak were the highlight destinations in Malaysia for a dinner attended by leading local tour operators and travel agents. They were joined by Dr. Shazelina Z. Abidin, the high commissioner of Malaysia to Canada, who came from Ottawa for the event. It was hosted by Mohd Afandi Bin Abu Bakar, the Vancouver-based consul general.

Most of the well-travelled group had been to Penang and Sarawak at some point in their careers, but were keen to know the latest about these destinations for the benefit of their clients.

For instance, they learned that the city of Penang, on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia, has just opened a new museum, called the Penang History Gallery. Located in the historic George Town precinct, it invites visitors to discover hidden chapters of the city over a floor area of 10,000 sq. ft. These moments are illustrated using exhibits that explain key events, including its colonial experience under British rule, its success as a busy trading port and its occupation by the Japanese military in WWII. The exhibits feature costumed mannequins in era-specific clothes, period-appropriate props and décor, plus framed photos and newspaper clippings.

New in Penang

Also new in Penang is the Entopia by Night Biofluorescent Odyssey, at the Entopia Butterfly Farm. The new Odyssey attraction explores those natural phenomenon that glow in the dark, and is the first such biofluorescent garden to do so.

Public transportation in Penang will improve with the new Mutiara LRT project, which started construction at the beginning of this year. When completed, the LRT line will span nearly 30 km. with 21 elevated stations. Twenty of those will be located on Penang Island, with some servicing George Town. One station will be on the mainland, at Penang Sentral station.

Tourism draws in Sarawak

Meanwhile, the state of Sarawak, which borders the northern coast of Borneo island, had tourism highlights to report. This was assisted by the performance of a professional dancer from the indigenous Iban nation of Borneo.

After the performance, consul general Bakar reported that coming soon to Sarawak will be the Rainforest World Music Festival, to be held in Kuching June 20 – 22. The three-day event takes place in an actual rainforest setting, with a mountain as the backdrop. Since its founding in 1998, it has become an internationally recognized music festival, featuring well-known performers from around the world performing for large audiences. It features a wide range of performance styles and genres, from traditional music forms to world fusion and contemporary world music. 

This is amongst a number of festivals scheduled for Sarawak, including the Borneo Cultural Festival, the Sarawak Regatta, the Borneo Jazz Festival and the Borneo International Kite Festival and the indigenous Gawai Dayak, to name some.             

“In 2023, we welcomed 71,981 Canadian tourists to Malaysia, and in 2024 that number increased to 86,882,” said consul general Bakar. Tourism Malaysia has launched a Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign, inviting the world to explore the beauty, culture and warmth that makes Malaysia “the friendliest destination in Asia.”