LANGKAWI: In efforts to turn Langkawi into a travel bubble pilot project for foreign tourists, the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) has submitted several Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) proposals, said its chief executive officer, Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib.
He said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Security Council (MKN) would go through the SOPs before the matter is finalised.
"Among the proposals that were submitted to the government was that foreign tourists must do the RT-PCR test, 72 hours before their flight and upon their arrival in Langkawi, they would be taken directly to their hotel accommodation, where another RT-PCR test would be conducted. This is to avoid congestion at the airport and if they test positive they would have to be quarantined at the hotel.
"Besides that, if they (foreign tourists) have stayed for over three days, they are allowed to visit other destinations in the country," he told reporters when met at a media tour programme organised by the Education Ministry (MOE) and the Information Department here yesterday.
Recently, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri during the question and answer session at the Dewan Negara said, the ministry had proposed to MKN to open Langkawi to tourists from several selected countries under the ongoing pilot tourism bubble project to enable Malaysia to revive its economy which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nasaruddin said LADA welcomed the government's proposal and was ready to open Langkawi to international tourists under the tourism bubble pilot project but everyone must adhere to all SOPs and be disciplined to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Commenting on local tourist arrivals after interstate travel restrictions were lifted since Oct 11, Nasaruddin said he foresees some 100,000 visitors would be in Langkawi this October.
He said since the Langkawi travel bubble kicked off on Sept 16, the first two weeks saw 38,784 visitors though the target was 30,000, whilst in October the target was 60,000 visitors but by mid-October, 51,400 arrivals have been recorded.
"The number will continue to increase until end October. Ferry services too have increased when the government announced that interstate travel restrictions have been lifted.
"The success of the programmme is not in the number of tourist arrivals to Langkawi, what matters most is no surge in COVID-19 infections among locals and visitors following the opening," he said.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Sat Oct 16 2021
Nasaruddin said LADA welcomed the government's proposal and was ready to open Langkawi to international tourists under the tourism bubble pilot project but everyone must adhere to all SOPs. - BERNAMA/Filepic
Akta Laut Wilayah masih sah, terpakai termasuk di Terengganu - PMO
Akta Laut Wilayah 2012 (Akta 750) masih sah dan terpakai di seluruh Malaysia termasuk di Terengganu, walaupun Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Terengganu membuat keputusan menolak pemakaiannya.
Yakeb sasar 1,000 bekas atlet baharu tahun ini
Yakeb menyasarkan seramai 1,000 bekas atlet dapat berdaftar di bawah yayasan itu sepanjang tahun ini. Yayasan Kebajikan Atlet K
Pulau Pinang mahu perbanyak kedai makan mesra muslim
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang berhasrat memperbanyakkan kemudahan terutama kedai makan mesra Muslim bagi memperkasakan lagi industri pelancongan di negeri ini.
Tiga firma semikonduktor mahu labur AS$100 juta di Pulau Pinang - Chow
Syarikat berkenaan adalah China Wafer Level CSP Co (WLCSP), Ningbo SJ Electronics Co (SJE) dan Wuxi AMTE Inc (AMTE).
Johor pastikan masalah bekalan air ketika perayaan tidak berulang
Kerajaan negeri akan berusaha memastikan sifar masalah bekalan air pada hari raya tahun hadapan dengan beberapa langkah telah diambil.
41 kes kebakaran terbuka di Gua Musang sejak Februari - Bomba
Aktiviti pembakaran terutamanya di kebun, ladang dan hutan perlu dielakkan ketika musim panas ini.
Runtuhan bangunan di Gaza akan ambil masa 14 tahun untuk dialihkan - Pegawai PBB
Serangan Israel telah meninggalkan runtuhan yang dianggarkan seberat 37 juta tan dalam satu wilayah yang padat dengan penduduk.
Fokus Minggu Depan: Gelanggang PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu dibuka
Ikuti kupasan Timbalan Ketua (Strategi), Ibu Pejabat Asia UNSDSN, Universiti Sunway, Prof. Wong Chin Huat mengenai Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Kuala Kubu Baharu yang bermula seusai proses penamaan calon pada Sabtu.
Wanita lintas jalan hingga akibatkan kemalangan direman
Seorang wanita berusia 35 tahun yan melintas jalan sehingga mengakibatkan berlakunya kemalangan maut di KM98.6 LPT 1 direman dua hari.
MINDEF sedia dapatkan khidmat pakar luar negara jika perlu
Kementerian Pertahanan sedia mendapatkan khidmat pakar dari luar negara jika diperlukan untuk membantu siasatan nahas dua helikopter TLDM yang mengorbankan 10 pegawai dan anggotanya.
Thorough investigation on cable car system failure - Operator
Panorama Langkawi Sdn Bhd a faulty bearing had been identified as the reason for the system to breakdown.