PETALING JAYA: The government is still holding discussions on allowing the entry of foreign tourists, the tourism, arts and culture ministry said today.
Ministry secretary-general Noor Zari Hamat said one of the proposals being considered was the opening up of travel for specific green-zone destinations for tourists who are similarly from green-zone areas.
“This was among the things being discussed. But this will depend on how prepared the other side is for this,” he said at a forum on the future of tourism post-Covid-19 organised by the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs.
“Whatever it is, the health and safety of citizens will be given priority.”
He said there were already discussions on the matter with countries such as Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and Brunei.
“So, we may open up travel for them first,” he added.
He said the prime minister had also spoken to Japan’s ambassador to Malaysia to open certain destinations in the two countries.
However, he said these discussions were long and comprehensive and had not been concluded.
Meanwhile, Noor Zari reminded tourism players to stay innovative and continue promotional efforts despite border restrictions so that they would be prepared when the situation improved.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri previously said the government was looking into allowing specific flights into certain locations that are green zones, even if the entire country might not be categorised as one.
Citing Perth and Langkawi as examples, she said travellers could be allowed to and from these locations as they both had the ability to facilitate international flights and were green zones.
However, she said plans for a travel bubble were still at an early stage, adding that the ministry was still monitoring the situation in countries identified as green zones. - FMT
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