USA Today’s Ranking Of Penang Hill As “Tourist Trap” Based On Inadequate Research, Says Exco

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The label “Tourist Trap” given to Penang Hill by an American publication is unfounded and the result of inadequate study, claimed a state executive councilor.

Recently, USA Today released a listing of the “Top 100 biggest tourist traps worldwide” and unfortunately Penang Hill was ranked 9th in the list.

This list was produced after the publication analysed 23.2 million Google reviews on the 500 most popular tourist attractions around the world.

They looked into the frequency of the phrases “tourist trap,” “overrated,” or “expensive”.

However, the exco in charge of state tourism, Wong Hon Wai, said that USA Today’s study, which was based on reviews posted on Google, was inaccurate since it only took into account those written in English.

“The bad reviews are about two dozen, and it (USA Today) didn’t take into consideration the many other good reviews about Penang Hill – which outnumbers the bad ones,” Wong said.

The methodology used by USA Today was also questioned by the Penang Hill Corporation.

Its general manager, Datuk Cheok Lay Leng, stated that the publication has full permission to publish the results of its research. However, it still needs to be determined whether they represent an accurate evaluation of the hill.

“We will use any negativity to prove our detractors wrong. I have circulated the ranking by USA Today to all of our stakeholders as a motivation to do better,” Cheok said.

According to Cheok, it serves as a reminder for service providers, especially conservationists, to expand the range of services they offer to visitors to the hill, as reported by the Vibes.

Penang Hill

Since the funicular railway began in 1923, Penang Hill has attracted nearly 50 million visitors, with many repeat visitors.

The hill station, a history dating back to 1788, was initially cleared for the British colonial community to enjoy the cooler air.

Penang Hill has received several honours, including being named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site in 2021. The hill was well-known for its artisanal fishing and has received praise from UNESCO for its numerous ecological, historical, and cultural aspects.

The tallest peak in the Penang Hill range, which is made up of a number of slender ridges, is 833 meters high.

As reported by FMT, a RM245 million cable car project is expected to be ready by 2025.