PUTRAJAYA: International tourists will be allowed to holiday in Langkawi under an international tourism travel bubble pilot project, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
This will begin on Nov 15.
He said a list of standard operating procedures that was tabled by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has been endorsed by the Covid-19 pandemic management special committee at its meeting on Friday (Oct 22).
He said the pilot project will be on for three months for the Health Ministry and National Security Council to evaluate its effectiveness before the initiative is expanded to other islands and tourism destinations.
“Our target group is high-yield foreign tourists and fully-vaccinated individuals. Children below 18 years of age must come with parents or guardians who have been fully inoculated.
“International tourists who intend to use this travel bubble facility must meet all conditions and follow all SOP,” he said.
The list of countries permitted to enter Malaysia for this purpose is subject to the decision of the Immigration Department, Health Ministry and Foreign Ministry.
Among the SOP are that international tourists must stay for at least three days, with no quarantine required for those participating in the Langkawi international tourism travel bubble.
A Covid-19 PCR test will be required 72 hours before departure and minimum insurance of US$80,000 (RM332,058) is needed.
International tourists are to engage the services of travel agents under the tourism ministry, and if they arrive via KL International Airport, they will have to do rapid molecular testing.
Should they fly directly to Langkawi, an RT-PCR test is mandatory on the second day of arrival.
Those who stay on the island for three days can use the result of the test taken on the second day for departure purposes while those staying for more than five days will have to be screened on the fifth day.
