Across Penang Island in Malaysia, hotels saw occupancy rates of at least 85%, with many being completely booked out during the weekend. This was due to tourists seizing travel packages that included both lodging and unrestricted access to durian feasts.
"The hotels were teeming with guests and showed strong performance over the extended weekend. Both beachfront and city-center accommodations were almost fully booked," stated Tony Goh, chairperson of the Malaysian Association of Hotels' Penang branch, according to reports. The Star .
Since the durian harvesting coincides with school breaks, Penang hotels have been offering room packages alongside unlimited durian dining experiences, thereby promoting a distinctive tourist attraction on the island.
"Goh mentioned that Penang is renowned for its orchards, which produce distinctive durian varieties specific to the area." He further noted that these local types are highly prized worldwide alongside the well-known Musang King and Black Thorn cultivars.
Every variety boasts a unique taste profile, offering complex flavors for durian lovers to relish and investigate.
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Penang durian available for purchase. Image courtesy of Facebook/Lixin Durian. |
Wong Hon Wai, who heads Penang's tourism committee, referred to the king of fruits as a surefire attraction for crowds.
He observed a rise in visitors resulted in higher usage of the Penang Hill funicular train, with an increase of 38% from May 30 to June 2.
Over the last four days, the number of passengers reached 33,521, which is significantly higher than the approximately 4,000 typically seen on non-peak days.
Among the leading fruits exported from Malaysia is the durian. In the previous year, $212 million worth of this fruit was shipped to China following the signing of a specific agreement between both nations regarding durian imports.
Malaysia seeks to boost its durian exports to China By more than 20% this year with an emphasis on maintaining the authenticity and brand of the Musang King variety.
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