Malaysia’s Langkawi will reopen next week as part of a travel bubble plan
Malaysia’s first international tourism bubble begins today as the country plans to reopen its borders next year in a bid to revive its tourism industry. Travellers from overseas who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are now able to travel to the island of Langkawi without undergoing quarantine.
Langkawi, the tourist hotspot in northwestern Malaysia, was the first holiday spot to reopen to domestic tourists on September 16 without quarantine after two years under tight restrictions. Now, the Southeast Asian country is looking forward to welcoming more international travelers who are “fully vaccinated”, despite concerns that Covid-19 cases may rise again because of a recent spike in the infectivity rate despite the country’s high vaccination rate.
Mohd Firdaus Ahmad, a member of the Kedah state executive council, said the territory has finished preparing for the travel bubble with local authorities and agencies, such as the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada), as well as key stakeholders from the tourism industry.
“Upon arrival on the island, all foreign visitors must undergo Covid-19 screening, with results available in 10 minutes.”
Foreign tourists visiting Langkawi will be required to use the services of tour operators registered with Malaysian tourism authorities and must have medical insurance of at least US$80,000 and stay in Langkawi for more than three days.
All passengers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by properly vaccinated parents or guardians, and all passengers must download and register the MySejahtera contact tracing app before departure.
SOURCES: Travel Daily | Straits Times
