GEORGE TOWN, Jan. 29 -- Penang recorded a total of 6,979,748 passenger arrivals in 2023, according to state exco Wong Hon Wai.

The tourism and creative economy committee chairman said this was up from 4,242,997 in 2022 and equivalent to a recovery rate of 84.14 per cent.

He also said it signified a rebound in international and domestic air travel after the challenges in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

"The number of international flights has achieved 259 weekly flights in December 2023 compared to 284 weekly flights in November 2019, generating a recovery of 91.20 per cent," he said in a statement issued today.

He said that last year, Penang resumed flights to destinations such as Guangzhou, Xiamen, Doha, Bangkok, Phuket, Banda Ach...