Businesses in Malaysia’s top holiday destination are preparing to welcome the return of tourists this week as the country takes a first step towards recovering from a devastating coronavirus crisis.
Langkawi, a cluster of 99 islands in the Straits of Malacca, will reopen its service from September 16 for fully vaccinated travelers as part of an internal tourism bubble, with strict protocols to counter the spread of coronavirus.
The owner of the restaurant, Esther Lee, said she was excited that the bubble was finally set in motion.
“We can finally welcome customers and this is actually our main source of income to survive,” he said.
“We have staff as below, we have overhead costs that we have to bear, so we definitely need dining customers.”
Like Phuket, Langkawi, known for its beaches, geoparks, birds and rock formations, does not expect large numbers initially, with 400,000 target visitors by the end of the year and an estimated revenue of 165 million ringgit ($ 39.66 million). ).
“We still don’t want congestion, even though we need a high number. The important thing is that we can control tourists to ensure compliance,” said Tuan Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib, head of the Langkawi development authority.
Malaysia has reported 2 million coronavirus cases in general among its 32 million people, one of the highest rates of per capita infection in Asia, with more than 20,000 deaths.
Its vaccination program has progressed faster than its neighbors, with more than half the population inoculated, hoping for a faster return to normalcy.
“A big sign of relief, the team is ready, everyone is very happy to welcome you, our local tourists again,” said Arnaud Girodon, general manager of the luxury resort The Datai Langkawi.
“We can’t wait to see them again.”
The image of the Datai Langkawi complex via Reuters.