GEORGE TOWN, May 7 -- Penang is gearing up for its annual durian season, and hotels and durian orchards are ready to welcome a surge of durian lovers from across Malaysia, Singapore, and China.

Although the durian season in Penang started late this year, Penang Global Tourism has begun promoting special durian travel packages for the season that starts this month.

Penang state exco for tourism Wong Hon Wai, who launched new durian tourism promotional brochures and travel packages yesterday, said they have started promoting these internationally.

"We are not only promoting this in Southeast Asia such as Singapore and Indonesia but also in China because many of them love durians," he said at the launch.

Wong said durians in China cost a...