1926 Heritage Hotel to reopen, attract tourists to Penang

• Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow: "It is hoped that the 15-year lease agreement, with an additional 15-year option, will make 1926 Heritage Hotel a landmark in the tourism sector with modern renovations while still retaining the original elements of the hotel.”

GEORGE TOWN (Sept 3): The heritage building housing the 1926 Heritage Hotel, which has been abandoned for four years, is set to reopen in 2026 to mark its 100th anniversary.

This will be realised through a Lease Agreement between the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the property owner, and Jetblue Sdn Bhd, the company that will manage and operate the hotel located on Burma Road here.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the agreement will indirectly position Penang as a premier tourist destination, capable of attracting both domestic and international visitors to view and learn about the heritage buildings in the state.

"It is hoped that the 15-year lease agreement, with an additional 15-year option, will make 1926 Heritage Hotel a landmark in the tourism sector with modern renovations while still retaining the original elements of the hotel.

“The state government always welcomes collaborations like this as it not only helps uphold cultural heritage but also contributes to economic development and the well-being of the local community,” he told reporters after witnessing the signing of the agreement today.

PDC was represented by CEO Datuk Aziz Bakar, while Jetblue Sdn Bhd by its director Datuk Koay Shao Sheong.

Chow added that Penang recorded 10 million domestic visitor arrivals in 2022, compared to the previous year, and nearly seven million tourists last year and believes that attractions like the heritage hotel will draw more tourists and drive overall economic growth.

The hotel previously operated under a different management and has been vacant since 2020 after the lease expired.

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