LANGKAWI – After the success of Langkawi’s two-week travel bubble, the island resort is looking to open its borders to international tourists in November.
Its district health officer Dr Mansor Ismail told The Vibes that the plan is still in the works.
“We have one month, and we will see how we are going to go about it. Langkawi needs it because our economy depends on tourism.
“In the first two weeks of our domestic reopening, the island’s high-end hotels occupancy was very high. Some were even fully occupied.”
He said there has to be a balance between healthcare and the economy, especially for Langkawi.
“So far, tourists have been adhering to the standard operating procedures, even better than the locals. The risk of infection is low as most of the locals are vaccinated, and only tourists who have completed their vaccinations and tested negative for Covid-19 can enter.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian Association of Hotels CEO Yap Lip Seng told The Vibes that international arrivals will be key to Langkawi’s tourism recovery, and timing is of the essence, not just for stakeholders, but at the community level.
“The industry fully supports all efforts to restore travellers’ confidence, and for the gradual reopening of Langkawi whether for leisure or business.
“Langkawi traditionally has a high dependency on international arrivals. Based on our survey, as high as 66% of hotel guests were international tourists pre-Covid-19.
“While there had been an increase in domestic shares with the current situation, average room rates decreased between 30% and 70%, with higher-rated ones losing more in comparison.
“Reopening of international borders is much needed for Langkawi to return to its pre-Covid days.”
Yap said the people of Langkawi also play a major role in ensuring the entire ecosystem is ready for international arrivals. – The Vibes, October 1, 2021
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