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GEORGE TOWN - Despite being classified as “green”, Langkawi’s tourism is affected by the conditional movement control order (CMCO), which may cause many travel trade businesses to declare bankruptcies.
Kedah tourism exco member, Firdaus Ahmad said that although they are appealing to the government to exclude Langkawi from the implementation of CMCO, it does not make much difference as all the other states are in lockdown.
“We have requested for the Tourism, Culture, Heritage and Arts Ministry to relook at how they can help Langkawi because we have contributed a lot to the tourism industry,” he said adding that two or more hotels on the island have closed down.
Firdaus outlined the facilities available but with limitations on their usage .
He said tourist spots and hotels are still in operation during CMCO but people are only allowed to travel within their district.
Other facilities allowed to open include the Langkawi Sky Cab (cable car) and Underwater World Langkawi.
While picnics in the park or the beach are not allowed, water sports are still operational.
“If you are in Langkawi and you want to ride the jet ski, you can do so,” he said, adding that contact sports are not allowed at indoor or outdoor facilities.
As for sports and recreation, only no-contact sports are allowed both indoors and outdoors with less than 10 pax.
Individual activities like walking, jogging, cycling, hiking, fishing and aerobics are allowed within respective districts.
Sports complexes, public fields and gyms are allowed to operate from 6am to 10pm but are restricted to practices that do not involve physical contact for less than 10 persons at any one time.
Meanwhile, standard operating hours during CMCO for morning markets are from 6am to 12pm, wholesale stores from 12pm to 5pm, farmers markets from 6am to 12pm and night markets from 4pm to 10pm.
Retail stores, malls, supermarkets, mini markets, food trucks, hawker stalls, food courts are also allowed to operate from 6am to 10pm.
Dine-in is allowed with a maximum of either two to four pax per table with a one-metre distance between each person.
However he said night clubs, pubs and theme parks are not allowed to open.
On travel to Langkawi, he said there is only one ferry operating, making a round trip every day. It departs the Langkawi ferry terminal at 11am and returns at 3pm from Kuala Kedah. – The Vibes, November 10, 2020.
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