Tourism has returned, but normalcy for the industry remains distant

WHEN lawyer Hussein Ahmad woke up late recently at a five-star resort in Langkawi, he found himself eating his breakfast buffet all by himself because he had missed the earlier one-hour slot that had been allotted for his family.

Hussein had just experienced the new normal in tourism, where crowding is shunned, and the wearing of face masks is compulsory when out in public.

Tourists are also encouraged to travel in small rather than large numbers when commuting to places of interest on the famed island resort.

The Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer also saw constant sanitisation works at the hotel lobby, while his room had more vigorous upkeep than what he had previously encountered.

"It was an experience eating my breakfast alone. But every guest has a special slot to eat their meals for about an hour and even to use the swimming pools. I missed mine."

Tourism rises despite new rules

Despite this, veteran travel activist Ahmad Pishol Isahak observed that generally tourism is on the uptick since the sector reopened last month, first in Langkawi before expanding nationwide. 

Surprisingly, he noted that destinations such as Cameron Highlands and Ipoh were among the top choices to holiday, comparable to the mainstays of Langkawi and Penang.

"Tourists are coming back in droves and hopefully this momentum can continue for a foreseeable future. We need the tourist dollar to boost our economy too."

But Pishol also cautioned that a new normal in tourism is necessary as Covid-19 lurks in the background, saying all it takes is a single cluster to ruin an entire destination.

So enjoy the country's splendours but be mindful of basic tenets of masking, physical distancing, no crowding, and maintaining personal hygiene – most importantly, if unwell with the virus' symptoms, do isolate, he said.

"#Kita jaga kita." (We take care of each other).

As a new normal grips' tourism, Pishol also shared how new age marketing is taking place, where tourism is now promoted through sports, business events and networking.

Pishol, who is a senior officer with the Langkawi City FC football club, worked to secure a collaborative deal with the German giant Borussia Dortmund, who count its players – such as Erling Haaland and Matt Hummels – as among the world's top talents.

"Soon we will have Borussia bringing in their players and coaches to work with our players. It is a grassroot programme but when they come, tourism will grow."

Pishol said that packages can be tailored to bring Malaysian fans of Borussia to see their games in Europe and in return, arranged direct flights bringing German tourists to Langkawi can also be secured.

"It can be done. We did it in the 1990s."

Pishol said with limits on tourism, there is a need for a refinement of the leisure industry by placing an emphasis on quality, as well as a dedication to preventing outbreaks of Covid-19 when the country reaches the endemic stage.

Rising costs are a hindrance

In reality, costs have gone up, not just in tourism but living costs, owing to the disruption in the global supply chain and a need for measures such as sanitisation and temperature monitors to keep the virus in check, said restaurateur Oli Khalid.

Therefore, the proprietor of the Red Tomato bistro outlet said that there is a need to operate with a limit, such as reducing operating hours or being closed for more days in a week.

Tropical Charter Cruises Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Alexander Issac reckons that the costs have gone up 20%, not to mention manpower shortages as employees are told to strictly stay home if they are unwell.

Over at the island's lookout point restaurant – The Cliff in Pantai Chenang – there is motivation to improve its cuisine with an emphasis on nutrition and de-stressing.

Having been closed for more than four months, the restaurant is now open from noon to 11pm, with its chef Lim Kok Suw motivated to improve its tasty treats under the new normal where dining is limited.

There is also a prevailing consequence of Covid-19, which is a need for standard operating procedures (SOPs) from masking to distancing of diners and a top inhouse health programme for staffers.

"Our staffers need to watch their health and alert us if they are displaying symptoms."

The Cliff had also won the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021 award.

Then, there is the La Pari Pari Resort owner Karina Bahrin, who is attempting a live stage performance about the legend of Mahsuri for the first time.

The legend of Mahsuri lives again in Suatukala’s Pulau Sri – an original, contemporary musical theatre performance inspired by the Mek Mulung – that will be staged by the seaside at the Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi on November 27. 

The performance will feature an all-female cast, including local Langkawi talent.

Supported via Arts for All Seasons (ArtsFAS) by Yayasan Hasanah, the live performance is a fundraiser for Suatukala’s on-going initiatives to promote storytelling in any form among Langkawi youth, said Karina, who hopes that arts and culture can become a major component of tourism at Langkawi rather than just duty-free items.

Restarting with Covid in mind

In Penang, the Sunway Group has introduced self-check-in kiosks for inhouse guests to reduce interaction and speed up the registration process.

Its marketing and communications manager Cheong Ka Mei informed in a statement that the hotel is also offering cheap promotional rates as it attempts to rebound.

Former National Tourism Council vice-chairman Eric R. Sinnaya said that the travel trade community needs to embrace the new normal as something positive.

He hopes that tourism would embrace the much-needed shift towards eco-tourism, where conservationism and preservation can become tourism products.

"If you ask me about mass tourism, it is a scary proposition if it brings Covid-19 along. Hence, there is emphasis on individual travellers and small groups as the way forward."

Tourists and the service providers are at risk if people forget about the SOPs, he said, adding that the SOPS can be enforced better too if there is less crowding.

And the move towards digitalisation is inevitable because it reduces contact, he added. 

"But it cannot take away too many jobs as tourism is also about the human touch. Nothing beats the curiosity of a young child out on a nature walk about the birds' flying overheads, the leaves beneath their feet and the animals which roam about." – The Vibes, October 29, 2021