Developing tourism products after accreditation as a World Heritage Site: Case of George Town, Penang

DR NEIL KHOR 12 June 2014

In a summary

Who is Think City?

How does Think City deliver?

What does Think City do?

Where and When does it deliver?

Think City is Malaysia's first urban regeneration organization. It delivers catalytic bottom-up urban regeneration programmes that are led by local communities. It aims to be a • Thought leader on sustainable cities and urban regeneration • Catalyst in the shaping of city development • Centre for capacity building for researchers, city administrators

and policy makers • Regional incubator for innovative ideas and local solutions

addressing key urban challenges

Think City follows a clear approach in delivering in each space Research Demonstrate Capacity Build Document Advocate

Who What

How When

In each space it operates in, it takes a phase approach in order to build credibility and institutionalized capability Pilot (6M – 1Y) Programmes (2-3 Years) Institution (>3 years)

Progress so far …

George Town Transformation Programme

Leisure & Tourism initiative that evolved into an urban regeneration programme covering

• FAST (Facilitate Accelerate Support Transform) • EASE (Efficient Access in a Sustainable Environment) • FLOW (Full Life on the Water Front) • CLICK (Connect Learn Imagine Create / Kick – Start)

George Town Grants Programme (GTGP)

• Under FAST (Facilitate Accelerate Support Transform), the development of a grants programme

Inception of Think City

BIDS (Business Improvement District Scheme)

Greening George Town (Greening Project)

Penang Project

Khazanah – World Bank Collaboration Cities, People & Economy

A series of conferences on urban conservation /greening and on Penang / Indian Ocean

Joint Workshops with international partners e.g. AusHeritage

And many more publications

A series of Cultural Mapping Programmes

Putrajaya Project

Who What

How When

Celebrating the City’s Outstanding Universal Values

Research Demonstrate Capacity Building Documentation Advocacy

Visions of Penang Baseline Study Population Census Land Use Study Special Area Plan

210 Projects in 4 Years 110 Buildings restored

Community-based City Managers Urban Planning Design

Baseline Study Report Urban Markets Report Community Publications

Penang Story Lectures International Lectures Conferences Workshops

Placemaking – Improving the Visitor Experience

• Enhance/reactivate a space • Organising the community & est. needs based planning • Place programming through AHC

State Government, Local Government, various communities

• Wayfinding System for Visitors • Advocacy through cultural programmes • Affordable Housing

Description/Impact

Key Stakeholder

Projects

• Little India - Neighborhood Courtyards, Programming for GTF 2014 in the courtyards, Little India Zero Waste Zone

• Upper Queen Street programming - Lorong Party (street market)

Projects

Heritage Interpretation – Strengthening Communities

• To establish an AHC flagship project at STAR Pitt Street • Boostering existing community-related AHC projects. • To encourage creativity and innovation to enhance the AHC

ecosystem. • To understand and deepen Malaysia’s Creative Economy To

improve the AHC ecosystem • To map & identify stakeholders. Focus on key stakeholders/

design+designers

Various communities

Description/Impact

Key Stakeholder

• Penang Story 2014 • Penang and the Indian Ocean • Arts Ed (Network of Intepretation and Interventions in GTWHS) • Creative Cities • The Star Pitt Street • Hock Teik Cheng Sin community interpretation center

Projects

7 Terraces Boutique Hotel

• Creating and expanding heritage tourism accommodation by way of boutique offerings

• Adaptive Re-use of heritage buildings that respect the OUVs • Creating employment and greater opportunities for wider markets

for arts & crafts

Christopher Ong & Karl Steinberg

• Conde Nast Hotlist 2013 for Best New Hotel • Featured in Monocle, New York Times, Wall Street Journal

Description/Impact

Key Stakeholder

International Recognition

• 18 All Suite Full service boutique hotel • Kebaya: Peranakan food fine dining experience • Bababar: Bar with live music performance • Heritage tours

Projects

Culinary Heritage

• Encouraging communities to re-discover their culinary heritage • Protecting urban markets & the food chain • Encouraging grantees to improve the dining experience • Improving street fair

Various communities

Description/Impact

Key Stakeholder

• Straits Muslim Culinary Heritage Project • Jawi House • Via Pre (Italian Restaurant) • Queen Street hawker food • Chowrasta Market

Projects

George Town Festival

• Celebrating the City by supporting community participation in the festival

• Festival attracts over 250,000 visitors to its programmes

Various communities

Description/Impact

Key Stakeholder

• Masjid Kapitan Keling & Lebuh Acheh Projects • Recreating 19th century George Town with the Penang Chinese Clan

Council • Indian Muslim Food Festival • Cultural Performances

Projects

GTGP – A catalytic initiative that enabled urban regeneration

Catalytic bottom-up and community based pilot initiatives are critical kickstarters that enable us to deepen further in the future and become more relevant in the national context on relevant urban themes affecting cities such as housing, AHC, BIDS, place making as well as spatial planning

Challenges & Key Lessons

Gentrification Rapid Change Enforcement Commercialization Disney-effect

Need to make sure the city is inclusive for all groups.

Temper change through community projects

Build local capacity to meet urban challenges

Get communities involved in the making of “tourism products”

Need to change mindsets from “tourist” to “visitor” perspective.

THANK YOU