GEORGE TOWN – Penang has called on Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin to consider including tourism players as frontliners for the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out alongside practitioners in other economic sectors.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said his office has compiled a list comprising 4,678 names of tourism frontliners in Penang through tourism associations.
He said the list has been submitted to Khairy, who is the coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, for consideration.
“Following Khairy’s recent announcement that the government will expedite the vaccination drive, it is important to take into account the badly affected tourism industry to ensure an accelerated and holistic recovery, apart from allowing us to better compete with neighbouring destinations.
“To ensure the hospitality industry remains viable and sustainable, and to also help achieve herd immunity against Covid-19, the federal government can place frontliners in the hospitality industry for vaccination after medical frontliners, the elderly, and other high-risk and vulnerable groups,” he said recently.
Yeoh said that other popular tourist destinations in the region, such as Phuket and Maldives, have already explored the possibility of re-welcoming tourists.
He said that Penang, as a forerunner in Southeast Asia’s tourism sector, should also implement similar strategies to prepare for reopening doors to tourists.
“Preparations need to start soonest so our tourism can catapult and achieve a V-shape recovery,” he said.
“A delayed vaccination programme for tourism players will threaten their future livelihoods and the industry as a whole, especially in Penang, which is heavily reliant on tourism as one of its economic contributors.
“On another note, we need to make sure that our tourism frontliners are ready and safe before we officially welcome tourists back to the Pearl of Orient,” he said, referring to the popular moniker for the state in international tourist circles.
“Therefore, an effective vaccination approach involving our frontliners in the tourism industry is crucial,” he added.
Currently, only health workers, security personnel, and media practitioners are categorised as frontliners in Malaysia.
They are categorised based on risk assessment factors as they are always in the field, meeting many people. – The Vibes, June 8, 2021
