GEORGE TOWN, May 12 — The Penang state government is ready to host a music rave festival in the state with appropriate locations, budget and sponsors, said state exco Wong Hon Wai.

The state tourism and creative economy committee chairman said the state is open to hosting a variety of music festivals provided it is in a suitable location, with an appropriate budget and sponsors.

“In fact, back in 2024, during the Penang Bridge International Marathon, we held a rave music festival in Batu Kawan but it was mostly attended by the runners,” he told the state legislative assembly today.

“Many people may not have known about it because it was held around 9pm to 10pm, but participants who attended were able to enjoy the experience of running alongside entertainment and music elements,” he added.

Wong (PH - Paya Terubong) was replying to an additional question by Joseph Ng Soon Siang (PH - Air Itam) on whether the state plans to organise a rain rave festival.

In 2024, a Run Rev Carnival was held at Aspen Vision City in Batu Kawan on December 14 between 6pm and 1am before the start of the marathon.

The carnival featured performances by Bunkface, Rabbit Mac as well as DJs Tick Lim and Blink with live band performances.

Wong said Penang is focused on promoting experiential tourism to visitors on top of promoting the existing tourism attractions in the state.

“Visitors can have good experiences such as a visit to Penang Hill is not only about visiting the hill but can also include other experiences such as hiking up the trails, camping overnight and going for night walks,” he said.

He said the state also aims to focus more on interactive visitor experiences based on heritage, culture and nature to attract various segments of domestic and international tourists.

He said this is why the state is open to organising music festivals to attract visitors and enliven the tourism and sporting events in the state.

“With the appropriate budget, suitable location and the right organiser, I think we can continue with more music festivals in the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wong said the Penang government, through Penang Global Tourism (PGT), is planning various strategic initiatives to strengthen the state’s tourism attractions in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

He said among the new attractions in the state included the Penang State Museum Board Automotive Gallery, Guar Kepar Archaeological Gallery, Ferringhi Bay and the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre.

He added that the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery, Penang History Gallery, Penang Indian Heritage Gallery and Cultural Centre, Penang Ferry Museum and Straits Oriental Museum have also been introduced.

“In addition, several tourism products based on interactive experiences are also being developed such as the Penang River Cruise, Entopia by Night, Penang Hill Gallery @ Edgecliff, Umi Umi and Forest Island,” he said.

He said PGT is intensifying various marketing efforts domestically and internationally, including through digital campaigns via the Penang Travel Deals platform.

Wong said other efforts include familiarisation trips involving media representatives and travel agents, as well as participation in trade missions and tourism exhibitions in key and emerging markets such as China, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and India.

He added that strategic collaborations are also being forged with airlines, online travel agencies and media partners to promote Penang as one of the country’s leading tourism destinations. - malaymail