Chapter 6 Place Making in George Town, Malaysia

Chapter 3 provided several examples of the planning and management of urban heritage areas and their resources. This chapter describes the experience of George Town, where the government directed a top-down planning exercise, as expected of a World Heritage property. The process had significant government attention and investment, both financial and technical. The island of Penang in northern Malaysia (Figure 4.2) has hosted a strong tourism industry since the 1970s when the state government decided to develop the tourism industry to complement local manufacturing, as part of a strategy to generate jobs. This policy resulted in the development of the island's north coast as beachside resorts, which until the mid-1990s made Penang a top tourism destination. This beachside resort model was copied widely throughout Southeast Asia, resulting in competition from neighbouring countries, including Thailand and Indonesia. Meanwhile, Penang's own appeal was undermined, however, by over-development and pollution.