KOTA KINABALU – Although Malaysia’s international borders will reopen on April 1, tourism players and airport regulators predict that international arrivals in Sabah will only begin picking up in May as they claimed that the new entry rules issued by state authorities are prohibitive and possibly confusing to travellers.
Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Winston Liaw said the state will not experience an immediate spike in arrivals tomorrow after the border is reopened.
He said tourist decisions in selecting destinations are largely influenced by the ease and simplicity of travel.
“I believe tourists are more likely to choose destinations like Thailand, Bali in Indonesia and the Philippines. These countries are more attractive in terms of everything.
“Tourists’ selection for destinations will focus on finding a simple and easy way to travel, as well as minimising the risk of getting stranded in a foreign country, which will upset their travel plans,” he told The Vibes.
Sabah’s entry standard operating procedures (SOPs), which were only issued on March 29, are also leaving airport operators hesitant to take the risk of allowing international flights into the state tomorrow.
At the same time, the state government’s entry SOPs are also a bit different from the ones issued by the federal government.
A Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) spokeswoman, when contacted, said there are no international flights inbound to Kota Kinabalu International Airport on April 1 to date.
“There may be some at later dates, but as for now, there aren’t any.
“But we will keep the media updated if there are any changes,” the spokeswoman said.
She added that MAHB has been working closely with the Transport Ministry, Health Ministry, the Civil Aviation Authority, Malaysian Aviation Commission, airlines, as well as retail and service providers on the border reopening on April 1.
They are prepared to receive international arrivals and provide a safe and seamless experience for travellers.
From April 1, Malaysian travellers will be charged RM100 and RM250 to take the RTK-Ag and RTK-PCR tests when entering Sabah.
Foreigners, meanwhile, are charged RM160 and RM250, respectively.
“These costs will be borne by travellers themselves. I think the fees are too high for tourists, as from the departing countries, they need to do a test. They are being charged double.
“Easily, they had to pay almost RM1,000 plus the additional packages,” said Liaw, adding that not only were they expensive, but the SOP itself in general could confuse travellers and tourists.
Meanwhile, Liaw said Sabah authorities should have introduced a flat price, adding that many travellers who become bewildered over the many conditions imposed by the authorities may adopt a wait-and-see attitude before making any decisions to head to the Land Beneath the Wind.
Liaw said the late issuance of the entry SOPs is also the reason why airline companies have not planned any international flights into the state.
“They don’t want to risk it before. But now the SOP is released, the airline companies had to digest the complicated SOP as the state ones are different from the federal ones.
“The aviation companies are probably wondering how many flights they should do in order to make money,” he said. – The Vibes, March 31, 2022
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