LANGKAWI – The slow post-pandemic recovery for Langkawi has riled up the resort island’s travel industry players and reactions over a proposal to award it federal territory (FT) status have been mixed.
Restaurateur Adnan Hassan said granting the island FT status may not be necessary, but Langkawi instead needs a new plan to stimulate sustainable economic and tourism growth.
He claimed that despite its duty-free offerings, the island was struggling with sluggish growth, especially in the budget travel sector, before the pandemic hit.
He added that industry players are also grappling with high operational costs and an acute worker shortage.
Although there have been events such as the recent biennial Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, or Lima, Adnan said the economic multiplier effect from such activities is short-term.
“Langkawi is losing out despite the appreciation of the (Thai) baht against the ringgit, Malaysians continue to flock to Thailand because the travelling costs are cheaper,” he said.
Adnan proffered some suggestions for improvement, starting with the island’s port being awarded free port status to generate more maritime traffic and bring in new goods to rejuvenate the retail sector.
He added that the international airport in Padang Matsirat should be open 24 hours to allow more flights, particularly chartered ones, to enter the island.
He also wants connectivity from the airport to be improved, saying it can accept more international or regional flights.
Adnan also called for an audit on promotional and marketing efforts for tourism, questioning their efficiency at attracting high-income travellers.
Meanwhile, travel industry veteran Eric R. Sinnaya is in support of awarding Langkawi FT status as the island needs more funding for infrastructure, which can only be provided by the federal government.
He added that the island’s ferry services need an overhaul, and more dredging of the coastline is needed to reduce inland erosion while its accommodation and tourism products should be screened against false advertising.
Eugene Alan Dass, who chairs the Kedah/Perlis chapter of the Malaysian Association of Hotels, said turning Langkawi into an FT is a positive move if it can transform the resort island into an attractive leisure destination.
“The expectations of both the travel trade and tourists are high. They want the best service and quality products and, if Langkawi can attract more federal funding, it will help its cause to become a top tourist destination,” he said.
Travel industry veteran Ahmad Pishol Ishak said the Kedah government will never surrender its “jewel” to federal control as Langkawi is among the state’s top districts in terms of economic performance.
“The industry players need to go back to basics. For example, our hospitality standard has dipped compared to our neighbours,” said Pishol.
He added that the data collected on the matter needs further breakdown so lawmakers can make informed choices on what the island needs.
Last year, Langkawi recorded 2.5 million tourist arrivals. – The Vibes, June 4, 2023
