Date: 16 January 2013
Ferry service to Acheh will boost Penang medical tourism.
GEORGE TOWN - A new ferry service connecting Penang
to Langsa in Acheh, Indonesia is set to boost the state’s medical tourism,
according to facilitators Penang Port Sdn Bhd. The service, operated by
Langkawi Ferry Services and managed by TYC Resources, will start on February 21
with two trips to and from Langsa each week.
Penang Port managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said the
new service will bring in more medical tourists to Penang as well as foster
trade between the locations. “We start with a passenger ferry service but it is
hoped that in future there will also be a cargo ferry service to encourage
trading ties between Acheh and Penang,” he said.
He said Acheh has a population of around five million and of
this, 20 per cent are affluent and expected to travel frequently to Penang for
medical treatment and leisure.
PPSB is facilitating the new service, which will operate
from Swettenham Pier. TYC Resources executive director Thong Yow Chuan said the
company aims to ferry 100 passengers per trip between both cities. The capacity
of the ferry is up to 138 passengers and the company will first evaluate the
demand for the service in the first three months before increasing the number
of trips between Langsa and Penang.
“For now, we target 100 passengers each trip and as demand
increases, we may increase the number of trips,” he said in a press conference
held at PPSB’s office this afternoon. Tickets for a return trip from Penang to
Langsa is RM180 for adults and RM120 for children. The tickets are available
for purchase at the Langkawi Ferry Services Ticketing counter.
By Opalyn Mok
Copyright © 2013 The Malaysian Insider
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