Penang’s tourism industry has received another boost, with the announcement of the Smart Travel Asia 2026 Best in Travel Poll by the renowned online travel magazine Smart Travel Asia.

 

Penang has secured a place among Asia’s Top 10 Holiday Destinations and has also earned recognition in the meetings city category, alongside several accolades for local hotels. These achievements underscore Penang’s diverse tourism appeal and growing international prominence.

 

Penang Ranks Among Asia’s Top 10 Holiday Destinations – In the Top 10 Holiday Destinations category, Penang shared fifth place with Chiang Mai, Macau and Shanghai, climbing two places from last year.

 

Notably, Malaysia had three destinations featured in the list. Kuala Lumpur ranked seventh, moving up one place from last year, while Sabah placed ninth, also improving by one position. The results highlight the diversity and appeal of Malaysia’s tourism offerings.

 

Penang Makes Its Debut Among Asia’s Top 10 Meeting Cities – In the Asia’s Top 10 Cities for Meetings category, Kuala Lumpur shared third place with Hong Kong. Penang made its debut on the list, sharing eighth place with Bangalore, India, and becoming one of only two Malaysian cities featured in the category.

 

Penang’s debut reflects the growing potential of the state as a meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destination. With several convention and exhibition centres completed and brought into operation in recent years, Penang is increasingly well-positioned to strengthen its competitiveness in the business events sector.

 

Penang Hotels Excel Across Multiple Categories – Beyond the destination and meetings city rankings, several Penang hotels also performed strongly across a range of categories, spanning weddings, family holidays, spa experiences, boutique accommodation and new hotels.

 

Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang, retained its place among Asia’s Top 10 Wedding Hotels, ranking sixth and moving up one position from last year. Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang, continued to feature among Asia’s Top 10 Family Hotels, ranking second after climbing two places from last year. The resort also secured seventh place in the Asia’s Top 10 Spa Hotels category.

 

Meanwhile, Soori Penang made an impressive debut in the Asia’s Top 10 New Hotels category, securing second place. It also ranked third among Asia’s Top 10 Boutique Hotels. Another Penang property, 1926 Heritage Hotel Penang, placed ninth in the Asia’s Top 10 New Hotels category, adding to the state’s achievements in the hospitality sector.

 

From heritage-rich establishments and family-friendly resorts to design-led boutique stays and wellness retreats, Penang’s hospitality industry continues to distinguish itself across diverse market segments, further broadening the state’s tourism offerings.

 

State Exco for Tourism & Creative Economy, YB Wong Hon Wai said the continued recognition from international travel publications and industry rankings would help strengthen Penang’s tourism brand and enhance its international visibility and appeal.

 

“Penang’s continued recognition by international travel publications and reputable rankings is highly beneficial in reinforcing the Penang brand and enhancing our international profile and tourism appeal. With the extensive reach and readership of these international travel publications, such accolades help introduce Penang to a wider global audience, inspiring more international travellers to discover the state and visit our shores. This, in turn, can generate fresh momentum for the local tourism industry and related economic sectors,” he said.

 

He emphasised that the recognition reflected the collective efforts of Penang’s tourism stakeholders, particularly those in the hotel and MICE sectors.

 

“Penang’s inclusion among Asia’s Top 10 Holiday Destinations and Asia’s Top 10 Cities for Meetings, together with the achievements of our hotels across various categories, represents an important milestone for the state’s tourism industry. More importantly, it is a testament to the sustained commitment, close collaboration and dedicated efforts of our tourism stakeholders, especially our hotel operators and business events industry.

 

“These accolades belong to the entire Penang tourism community. By continuing to work hand in hand and striving for excellence, we can further strengthen Penang’s competitive position as an international tourism destination and build on these achievements,” he said.

 

Penang’s recognition across multiple categories, including improved rankings in several areas, provides further encouragement for the local tourism industry and reinforces efforts to expand international visitor markets and strengthen Penang’s tourism brand.