Plan To Make Langkawi Shine Again As Tourist Draw

LANGKAWI, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- The federal government plans to redevelop Langkawi's tourism potential to revive the glory days of the resort island off Kedah. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said measures would be taken under the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015) to enable Langkawi regain a prominent place on the tourism map. The government would come up with a list of projects in a few months' time as part of the redevelopment plan, he said. "Langkawi has a lot of potential but it is not fully utilised. There is much we can do, particularly with the attractive natural surroundings," he said to reporters after opening a seminar on the development of Langkawi on Sunday.

Nor Mohamed said Langkawi should rightly be a niche product for the tourism sector. "If Thailand can boast of Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi, and Indonesia, of Bali, then surely Malaysia can be proud of its own islands, of which Langkawi is the most popular," he said. He said the government had spent a lot in previous five-year plans to develop Langkawi's economy and had undertaken a major transformation of the island. "Nevertheless, the government is not satisfied yet. We have to spend a little more to enable Langkawi to realise its maximum potential as a tourist draw," he said.

Nor Mohamed said the government might have to make available skillful tour agents who could target high-spending tourists, and added that there was a proposal to set up a tourism academy to train such manpower. "We have to also resolve what seem to be small problems but which have a major impact on tourism. For example, it is said that operators of hire cars have to pay RM6,000 in insurance premiums per car annually," he said. Nor Mohamed said there had been proposals to establish a university in Langkawi as well as hospitals to cater to tourists. "We will look at these proposals. Medical tourism is important. Tourists who come for medical treatment demand well-equipped hospitals," he said.

On a proposal to build a five-kilometre bridge connecting Langkawi to Tuba Island in the Langkawi chain, he said the government would go ahead with the project if the cost-benefit analysis was favourable. There are 99 islands in the Langkawi chain but only two -- Langkawi and Tuba -- are inhabited.