Life is gradually returning to the rest of Malaysia, after the closure and quarantine that lasted for nearly three months due to the global pandemic of Corona.
Tourism was one of the sectors most affected by this closure, as Malaysia is one of the most popular global destinations in Southeast Asia.
This is due to its charming nature, rich diversity and multi-ethnicity and different cultures, which imprinted the country with a unique character, as well as being a destination for lovers of shopping and entertainment.
Stagnation due to corona
The tourism sector ranks third in the country's domestic production, and was greatly affected during the pandemic, which caused a near-total recession resulting in huge economic damage.
With the first signs of life returning to normal - with the number of infections in the Corona virus approaching from zero over several days - the Hotel Syndicate began proactive measures by urging investors in the tourism sector to put promotional plans for the upcoming tourism season to reduce the size of the depression.
Attractive offers and great demand
As soon as the interstate closure was lifted, big offers began to pour in to accelerate domestic tourism, which makes up 55% of tourism in Malaysia.
Hotels and tourist establishments made attractive offers to the public, as hotel room rates fell significantly, and in some hotels on the island of Langkawi, preferred by Malaysians, they reached below 10% of the real price.
Hotels communicated with guests directly without intermediary companies, and the regular booking method changed, so the time is calculated from the time of entering the hotel and not by specific hours or the night account. Entertainment programs for tourists have also increased, resulting in unrivaled demand for reservations by citizens.
The tourism sectors did not forget the credit of the medical staff, the security men and the police who were in the first ranks in the face of the epidemic, as many hotels offered them free reservations in appreciation of their efforts during the pandemic days.
Receiving tourists from the recovering countries
As a second step in the recovery and return to life program, Malaysia will start receiving tourists from the countries recovering from the pandemic, mainly six countries: Brunei, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.
And the Director-General of Health, Dr. Nour Hisham Abdullah that the authorities will consider opening the borders and allowing movement between countries with few cases, within what has become called "green corridor countries, green bubble".
Safety procedures
With the easing of restrictions, museums, zoos and parks have opened their doors again, in accordance with established standards that ensure the safety of both citizens and tourists.
Among these measures are commitment to social divergence, being satisfied with half the number for each place, continuous sterilization, wearing a muzzle, in addition to the need to use the health electronic application (code), measuring the temperature and providing personal data, when visiting these places.
On the other hand, the "Malaysian Medical Corporation" supervises health procedures in hotels, in addition to the homes for short-term rental which are intended for local tourists, and it is part of the medical protocol in force in the country during this pandemic.
This institution also teaches the owners of those homes the method of sterilization and provides certified medical certificates to them, while the visitor is allowed to view them in order to be reassured about the safety of the place.
Medical Tourism
In terms of medical tourism, Malaysia is the first country in the world in this field, as it receives about 1.3 million tourists for this purpose, according to the United Kingdom International Medical Travel Journal and Us International Living Magazine.
It is expected that the country will open its doors soon for medical tourism, gradually. According to government statements, the first stage in this area will be for urgent medical evacuations, and arrival will be exclusive via the airport.
As for the second stage, patients with serious diseases will be admitted, with facilities for children under 12 years of age allowed, and registration must be made through the Malaysian Medical Travel Authority in advance.
In the context, studies conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Water talked about a positive side of the pandemic on the environment in Malaysia, where the quarantine period contributed to reducing the rate of air pollution and improving its quality, in addition to positive results on animals and vegetation.
Tourism for education and study
Since the early days of the announcement of the recovery from the epidemic, Malaysia has allowed tourists coming to study, whether from university students or educational institutes and circuits, as it is one of the leading countries in this field.
According to the competent authorities, the tourism sector will suffer from a major recession over the next six months, and it is expected that the number of tourists this period will decrease by a quarter from the number of previous years. Tourism is also expected to be restricted to businessmen or honeymooners, at a time when the percentage of families coming will decrease.