Langkawi to open in November: TM

At the third edition of the Gulf Travel Show, Tourism Malaysia held a virtual press conference, announcing the most exciting news that Langkawi hopes to open for international travellers by mid-November this year. Their strong vaccination drive enabled them to steadily move ahead.

Shehara Rizly

Langkawi is set to be the first first destination to open to international, with six more to follow. Noor Azman Samsudin, Deputy Director International Promotion Division (Asia & Africa), Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, stated in his opening remarks that West Asia and the Gulf region have been two of Malaysia’s most important markets. “Summer has always been a key driver for tourists from the Middle East, however due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, numbers deterred in 2020. Since the government announced its four-phase national recovery plan, which included a national vaccination programme and keeping track of the daily rate of infected persons, the country is now preparing to welcome international travellers again, kick-starting from the island of Langkawi.
We had 31 flights every week from all Middle Eastern nations before the pandemic, including the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Iran, so we believe we will get there cautiously.”

Speaking about the exciting news announcement, Nasaruddin Bin Abdul Muttalib, Chief Executive Officer, Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), reiterated, “Langkawi is currently available for domestic tourism since September 16, 2021.” We have got around 82,000 visitors in the first 26 days since opening for the domestic market, which is an indicator of success. There has been no infection during this time, and we believe we are ready to open for international passengers because 92 per cent of the population has been vaccinated; nevertheless, we are still waiting for the government’s official statement. Malaysians will be able to travel overseas from October 10, 2021. In mid-November, we will open our borders to all countries. We have become a tourism pioneer because we have an international airport and the only way to enter is via air or sea, allowing the government to keep the situation under control and monitored. We demand a 72-hour PCR test before travel to our destination, and guests may check into their accommodations immediately upon arrival, however a PCR test will be completed within 8 hours.

We do not want to overcrowd the airports, so we have decided to conduct the exam once the traveller has checked into their hotel. We are also encouraging and incentivising MICE travel to the destination.”