ALOR STAR – Langkawi’s flagging tourism sector, once a mainstay of the local economy, may receive an encouraging boost soon as airlines giant Qatar Airways has agreed to revive its Doha-Langkawi route once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said a consensus was reached with the airline’s management for the route to be activated as an international “travel bubble”, a controlled point-to-point journey format to scan and protect passengers and crew from Covid-19 exposure.
The private sector in Kedah has been hoping for such travel bubbles as Langkawi, being the state’s premier tourism hub, has had low local Covid-19 risk since March, with infections numbering less than 30 cases.
According to Sanusi, up to 110,000 people are employed in the tourism sector in Langkawi.
"The tourism industry is badly affected. It is an open secret. Now, Langkawi folk are suffering because of the pandemic," he said.
He said this after a courtesy call by Datuk Muzammil Mohamad, Qatar Airways' country manager for Malaysia and Brunei, at his office here.
Muzammil said the meeting was positive as both sides discussed how to revive tourism in the mid to long term.
On the travel bubble, he expressed optimism that it will help reinvigorate tourist arrivals to Langkawi.
The bubble can only be done between two cities that have low infection rates and have overcome the outbreak.
Passengers and crew, who are tested to ensure they are free of infection, are kept strictly insulated from others throughout, even during their stay at selected hotels and visits to predetermined sites.
"They cannot mingle with other groups or local tourists. They can only holiday within their bubble and designated zones," Muzammil said. – The Vibes, November 23, 2020
