Tourism picking up despite Omicron

Enjoying the sites: Tourists walking on Armenian Street over the weekend in George Town, Penang.

GEORGE TOWN: Despite the threat posed by the Covid-19 Omicron variant, domestic tourism is thriving here with the heritage enclave and other popular sites packed with visitors.

A check yesterday showed many tourists posing for family photos at tourist hotspots like Armenian Street and spruced-up backlanes.

Bank employee Shazatul Md Behar, 28, who came from Kuala Lumpur with her family, said although the rise in Covid-19 cases was worrying, they felt safe as long as the SOP was followed.

“We came down on Friday to be here for two nights. It has been great exploring different places in Penang and we decided to spend the day at the heritage enclave,” she said when met along one of the decorated backlanes.

Shazatul said the last time her husband, sister and family were here was before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

“It has been a while and it is nice to be back. We notice that everyone is observing physical distancing so it makes us feel better as we have brought the children too,” she said.

A popular food court in town was bustling as visitors enjoyed the local delights.

Dim sum stall operator Cheong Lai Meng said business remained brisk despite a slight decline over the past week.

“There are still customers and things are way better than it was last year.

“Maybe next week there could be fewer people as cases are rising but everyone is careful so it should not be too much of an issue,” she said.

While tourists hotspots were packed, locals seem to be opting to stay safe at home.

Alicia Loke, 31, who lives in Pulau Tikus, a busy suburb between George Town and Tanjung Bungah, said she went to Bayan Lepas at about 10.30am and was surprised to see clear roads.

“It took me only 20 minutes to reach Bayan Lepas. It feels quiet in Penang for me, almost like there is still a travel restriction,” she added.

The Health Ministry has cautioned that Malaysia is fully into the Omicron variant wave, with five-digit cases registered daily over the past week.

On Feb 1, 5,566 cases were registered while on Feb 12 the figure soared to 22,802.