Vaccination drive held for business and tourism events industry

A collage of vaccine recipients and volunteers at the vaccination centre for the tourism and business events industry in Kuching.

SARAWAK is the first state in Malaysia to set up an industrial Covid-19 vaccination centre for the tourism and business events sector.

Over 2, 000 industry frontliners voluntarily registered for the industrial vaccination programme through their respective employers, which took place at the Association of Churches Sarawak’s ecumenical centre in Kuching from June 24 to 27.

The programme was led by Sarawak’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry in collaboration with federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, Sarawak Tourism Federation, Health Ministry and Timberland Medical Centre.

A total of 321 people were vaccinated on the first day of the four-day programme.

Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri congratulated Sarawak for being the first state to initiate the vaccination centre for business events and tourism industry partners.

She also thanked the state ministry for coordinating the programme successfully.

Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the state government recognised that business events and the tourism industry were among the state’s core economic sectors.

“The vaccination programme is an imperative step to protect more than 2, 000 industry frontliners and a reassuring sign that Sarawak will be ready to reopen for business activities.

“Vaccinating the industry is in tandem with the Sarawak government’s target to vaccinate at least 80% of the local population by the end of August, ” he said.

Sarawak currently has the highest number of vaccinations in the country, with over one million people vaccinated so far.

Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry permanent secretary Hii Chang Kee said the ministry was committed to supporting agencies such as Business Events Sarawak on the reopening of the business events industry.

“The vaccination programme is accelerating the industry’s recovery so that when our skies reopen, Sarawak is more than ready for business, ” he said.

Amid the current situation, Sarawak’s business events industry is laying the ground- work to prepare for business and travel again.

Business Events Sarawak acting chief executive officer Amelia Roziman said standard operating procedures would be ready for implementation once events return.

“Business events planners can take advantage of our incentivised packages.

“Our industry partners are gearing up by getting involved in extensive education programmes to strengthen their professionalism.”

She added that discussions were being held with Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau on possible interstate collaborations as part of efforts to reopen the country’s business events sector.