KUALA LUMPUR: Melaka, Genting Highlands and Tioman Island are among the destinations after Langkawi that will be opened for domestic tourism soon.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the proposal to allow these three destination to reopen for tourism was raised and agreed during the Covid-19 Quartet Ministers meeting today.
The meeting was chaired by Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
The final say on the reopening of these three destinations, Nancy said, would be decided during the Special Committee on Covid-19 Pandemic Management meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"If the proposal is approved (by the Special Committee on Covid-19 Pandemic Management), these destinations will be allowed to open to tourists starting Oct 1.
"We have given two weeks for these destinations to prepare and reopen for tourists," she told reporters today.
Nancy added that her ministry was looking into the Covid-19 prevention standard operating procedures (SOP) to add and reopen more destinations not only limited to islands but also on the mainlands, as the country gears towards the Covid-19 endemic phase scheduled end of next month.
She, however, stressed that the ministry was still fine tuning the SOP on the reopening of tourist destinations located on the mainlands which is more "complicated" than islands.
The Health Ministry, she said, wanted the same SOP implemented for the country's first travel bubble project in Langkawi for other destinations to be reopened for tourists.
"The (Covid-19 prevention) SOP for islands is easier (compared to those located on mainlands) since the exit and entry points to this location are either via airport or ferry terminal.
"Langkawi is a good example for all since swab test can be implemented at entry points into the island via airports or ferry terminal.
"This will enable us to prevent positive cases from entering the island.
"This is the matter that is being looked into for the SOP)," she said.
As for the progress of the Langkawi travel bubble project, Nancy said 6,622 tourists arrived at the island by plane between Sept 16 and 19.
During the same period, she said 3,483 tourists entered the island via ferry.
-nst online.
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