Malaysia prepares to open to int. tourism in early 2022

As Malaysia moves with its plan to open international border in early 2022, Tourism Malaysia, New Delhi, hosted a networking session with travel trade partners at the downtown The Imperial, New Delhi, recently. The event was attended by representatives from key travel trade associations, travel agents, wedding planners and media representatives from the northern and eastern regions of India.

Sulaiman Suip, Director of Tourism Malaysia New Delhi, briefed the attendees about Malaysia’s tourism development and tourism products, the latest Covid-19 situation as well as the pilot travel bubble and the expected reopening of Malaysian borders in early 2022.

According to Suip, “Malaysia has successfully reached vaccination of more than 97.3% of its adult population against COVID-19, making it one of the highest vaccinated destinations in the Southeast Asian region. In addition, fully-vaccinated individuals have also started receiving their booster shots.”

“We are thrilled and excited to welcome back tourists. All our attractions, tour operators, airlines, hotels, and resorts are operating under strict SOPs. Our industry players are offering value-for-money packages while health and hygiene will be of utmost importance as your safety is our priority. Also, the highlight for 2022 will be the opening of GentingSkyWorlds, the much-anticipated outdoor theme park in Genting Highlands. This is sure to be and take everyone’s adventure quotient on a new high,” said Suip.

In preparation for the reopening of its borders, the Malaysian Government has selected Langkawi as the pilot holiday destination to receive tourists under the ‘Langkawi International Travel Bubble’ from 15November.

Langkawi, an archipelago of 104 islands on the west coast of Malaysia is best known for its picturesque landscape of sprawling beaches and crystal blue waters, dense rainforests as well as pristine waterfalls. Its duty-free shopping, luxurious spa centres, alongside a plethora of activities to indulge in such as riding the cable car, exploring an underwater aquarium, eagle-feeding, and island-hopping are sure to provide an enriching and memorable experience for its visitors.

India remains one of the top market sources for Malaysia and contributed 735,309 international tourist arrivals in 2019. The first two months of 2020 recorded a phenomenal cumulative growth of +29%. However, the spread of the coronavirus pandemic globally led the countries to close their borders and cancel most flights.