Travel bubble: Good concept but is it effective? - Industry players

Several questions have emerged over Penang's consideration of implementing a “travel bubble” with states which have been declared a green zone to balance safety and tourism activities once interstate travelling is allowed nationwide.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (Penang chapter) chairperson Khoo Boo Lim said while the idea is good and welcoming, there are concerns on the effectiveness of the move.

"How effective will our checking and enforcement be so that we can maintain safety measures when interstate travels are allowed?

"If we go ahead with the travel bubble in place, then anyone coming from the mainland through the bridge and ferry will also need to be checked to ensure they are virus-free," Khoo told Malaysiakini.

"This may create traffic congestion. For flights, it will be easier to check as the passengers disembark but what happens when they are too many flights?"

Khoo said if Penang decides to implement the move, it would be good to start off with the Northern states of Perlis, Kedah and Penang.

"It can be done with proper standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines, but still having enough human resources to ensure that all precautionary measures are taken and enforced would be a challenge," he said.

He was responding to Penang executive councillor for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage (Petach) Yeoh Soon Hin (below) who proposed a travel bubble with green zone areas to encourage gradual interstate tourism.

Yeoh said this is one of the measures being studied in an effort to plan ahead once the federal government lifts the ban on interstate travelling.

His remarks came after Penang was declared a green zone for more than two weeks.

Yeoh had clarified that the travel bubble concept had been proposed by Australia and New Zealand to gradually resume travel and restart tourism industries, as part of the new normal effort for Covid-19.

This solution may be viable as Penang is currently practising the Gradual Recovery Strategy after businesses restarted this week, he said.

"This could be a viable solution to begin with, rather than opening all our borders at once and risking transmission again which will bring us back to square one and waste the efforts to contain the virus that took us months long.

“It could be one of the state tourism approaches when our border reopens and interstate travelling is allowed. I foresee a gradual increase in tourism activities and movement then,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Meanwhile, former Penang Port chairperson Jeffrey Chew said the idea of the travel bubble is an "innovative" one but there is a need for Penang and participating states to tighten up the SOP.

"The 14-day quarantine rule seems to be the SOP of the day. It will work if strong technological linkage is done with other green states to allow real-time access to ensure tourists can be confirmed before coming to Penang," said Chew.

"Strong linkage and communication between state to state is crucial.

"Domestic travel is crucial now. Without info-tech linkage, the bubble concept will be a challenge," he added. - Mkini