With a breathtaking view of Penang’s coastline and the iconic Penang Bridge, the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC) at The Light City mixed-use development is set to become the largest convention facility in the northern region of Malaysia.
The 10,000 sqm convention centre features a column-free hall that can accommodate up to 10,000 guests and will open in October 2025. It will cater to the growing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector in Penang, and would position Penang as a leading MICE destination in the region.
A key component of Malaysian developer IJM Land’s The Light City, which costs about US$1.07 billion to build, PWCC is expected to attract over 30,000 delegates this year, generating approximately US$13.2 million for Penang’s economy, said IJM Land. There is integration with a world-class mixed development, making it a true one-stop destination for business and leisure, the company said.
PWCC would be able to host events of international scale and prestige. It has been reported that Penang hosted over 2,000 business events last year, bringing in more than 300,000 delegates and generating an estimated US$300 million.
PWCC will boost the MICE industry growth by 35% this year given the number of events already lined up from October onwards, such as the 7th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development, K-Brand Week with K-Beauty Expo Malaysia and Water Tech Asia 2025.
PWCC is Penang’s third and largest MICE venue, and one which will be managed by Korea International Exhibition Centre (KINTEX), which also manages Yashobhoomi Exhibition Centre in New Delhi, India.
Penang’s two other MICE venues are SPICE Arena and Penang International Convention Cultural and Arts Centre. “Spice Arena’s calendar is full for the next few years. We are losing out on business because there is no other large-scale venue on Penang island. That’s why PWCC makes a complementing factor as a purpose-built venue for exhibition, according to the Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau.
World-class facilities
The 34-storey Light City waterfront destination features a 750m sea promenade and a shopping mall offering more than 300 retail outlets.
The development also features a 156-room luxury boutique hotel covering a span of six storeys called JdV by Hyatt, which will make its debut in Penang. Joie de Vivre (JdV) Hospitality is a hotel and restaurant company based in San Francisco, California, and the second-largest operator of boutique hotels in the United States.
China’s Galaxy Minyoun Hotels will operate a four-star property with 303 rooms over nine floors and marks the brand’s first venture into Southeast Asia.
The hotels are slated to open in 3Q2026. This will be the first time that two hotels are housed under the same roof in Penang. The hotels will be positioned above an 11-storey office component, which will offer a total of 200,000 sq ft of workspace.
There will also be two luxury high-rise residences and an art gallery.
An upcoming Light Rail Transit (LRT) station set to further enhance accessibility for both domestic and international visitors.
The Light City is located about 10 minutes from Penang International Airport and about 20 minutes away from the capital Georgetown.
More direct flights increase accessibility to Penang
International airlines connect Penang to some 30 destinations via non-stop direct flights.
AirAsia launched a Penang-Shenzhen route in October 2024, followed by HK Express with Penang-Hong Kong flights in November. Cathay Pacific has operated direct Penang-Hong Kong flights for over 20 years.
Several Chinese airlines offer direct flights to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xiamen and Xi’an.
Other airlines flying direct from Penang include AirAsia, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Thai Airways, China Airlines, Batik Air, Flydubai, Cambodia Airways, Myanmar Airways and Lion Air. Many domestic flights are offered on Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Firefly and Batik Air.
