COVID-19

Having to stay home for more than a year due to MCO has taken its toll on many Malaysians, especially affecting people’s mental health. While COVID-19 vaccination efforts are ramping up, it has emphasised feelings of waiting and not having control over what the present looks like. This feeling has a term to it: languishing.

Sarawak is among Malaysia’s states making headway in its COVID-19 vaccination programme, expecting to reach herd immunity by August, allowing them to move in to Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan. Thanks to this, the state is expected to reopen for domestic tourism later on in the year and by 2022 for international travellers. …

The tourism sector can and likely will revive fully by the end of next year. However, it’s crucial to take on an “aggressive vaccination” approach to achieve the aforementioned. With Malaysia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout currently picking up, people are eager and ready to release all their pent-up demand to travel, which will spur the return…

Good news for vacationers and tourists! Pangkor Island is set to reopen soon with targets to achieve herd immunity by September and proclaim itself COVID-free.

A whopping 150,000 frontliners can expect to be vaccinated soon to ensure safe interaction with customers, while a faster COVID-19 vaccination programme will help in reviving Malaysia’s travel sector.

Even as life begins to go back to ‘normal’, there are still some ways to go when it comes to travelling abroad. The WHO advises against vaccine passports and flight prices showing a trend in steeper fees.

Over the weekend, Zafigo’s founder, Marina Mahathir, had a chat with Kaori Sasaki on all things Olympics. From vaccine requirements to the logistics to (of course) the concerns surrounding hosting the games during a pandemic.

Interstate travel permits for work purposes will be disallowed to urge the public to celebrate Eid al-Adha at home and some travel destinations to cure travel itch.

Plastic pollution in the tourism sector remains a problem. And COVID-19 is only exacerbating it. The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI) gathers tourism organisations to work towards environmental sustainability, specifically eradicating plastic pollution caused by tourism.

Silversea Fleet cruise to many parts of the world and already getting demands from emerging countries including Malaysia whereas one of the top visited travel destinations in the world, Venice disallows large cruise ships.

The government is considering relaxing movement restrictions that will benefit anyone fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This includes possibly allowing them to travel and dine-in at restaurants.

Malaysia moves up a spot, becoming one of the most powerful passports in the world despite the pandemic. But a lack of tourists is seeing the local arts industries potentially becoming extinct.