KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s estimated losses in tourist expenditure are set to rise to RM165 billion this year from about RM135 billion in 2020 due to the implementation of the third movement control order, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said the sector has faced over 12 months of little to no business, as well as job losses.
“Tourism is more than just leisure. It is also the provider of jobs and a stable income, supporting one in every four jobs, particularly for destinations most reliant on tourism, remote areas, and places with semi- or low-skilled labour.
“While there are still locations with challenging situations health-wise, and borders are generally closed, the region is starting to reopen, while the level of tourism operational activity is low,” she told the 2021 Asean Leadership and Partnership Forum today.
Before borders reopen, she said, it is important for the tourism industry to be prepared with a recovery plan and restrategise so as to gain a competitive edge, particularly in the Asean region.
She said Malaysia is preparing to open Langkawi to international tourists soon, following the success of the island’s domestic travel bubble.
“The Langkawi domestic travel bubble has been a success since it began on September 16, 2021, with a total of 38,748 domestic tourist arrivals and RM15.97 million in tourism receipts recorded.
“Malaysia targets 400,000 domestic tourist arrivals to Langkawi until December 2021.” – Bernama, October 7, 2021
