This is a very good move and proposal. It will help towards cleaner beaches, better managements and more tourist appeal. After all, it's for the good of Penang tourism :)
The famous Batu Ferringhi beach is set to undergo a transformation with the state government planning to zone the sandy stretch for beach operators to run their businesses.
The move is to address outstanding issues of illegal businesses targeting tourists.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Environment Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the state government was in the final stages of zoning the stretch of beach for businesses like foot reflexology, and horse and beach buggy riding.
He said there were also plans to demarcate safe swimming zones from jet-skiing and parasailing areas.
"Canopies and platforms would be set up at the business zones.
"The operators will also be legalised but it will take some time, as the Penang Island Municipal Council will first have to obtain a temporary occupancy licence for the beach, which is state-owned," he said yesterday.
Chow was responding to questions regarding complaints emailed to him by a hotelier last week about the problems on the beach.
It was reported that hoteliers in Batu Ferringhi were at their wits' end as beach operators had set up makeshift huts and signboards on the public beach bordering their premises to solicit for clients.
The close proximity between the operators and hotel guests was deemed a privacy violation; guests were often intimidated and harassed by the operators, who lingered on the beach all day.
There were also complaints that the operators were using four-wheel drives on the beach and of dogs roaming freely in the area.
A five-star resort recently reported that an Australian guest was bitten by a dog during his morning walk on the beach.
Such problems have given many tourists a bad impression of Penang.
NST Online
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