The new norm of travelling ain’t gonna be a piece of cake. Gone were the days where we would excitedly book flight tickets just a day before embarking on our next travel destination. Those splendid escapades from the HARSH REALITIES of life are history now. Since the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by an uneventful storm, travelling has become a privilege.
In the new normal, only those who have been fully vaccinated are allowed to travel and you would be lucky enough if the destination you intend to travel to does not require you to do a troublesome and expensive SWAB test!
While the Malaysian government has allowed the Langkawi travel bubble, Malaysian travel enthusiasts are flocking the mystical island, taking hold of every opportunity to satisfy their deprived travelling hobby that has almost been put on hold for nearly two years.
Apart from Langkawi, the Tourism Ministry said it will be planning to open up Genting Highlands in Pahang, historical Malacca and breathtaking Pulau Tioman to the rest of Malaysia. On a good note, Sabah is expected to allow travel starting with local Sabahans within its districts.
“We are moving towards the new normal of travelling and it is about time for our industry to be reactivated, starting with local travellers within Sabah,” said state tourism, culture and environment minister Jafry Ariffin.
Slowly, our country is adjusting to the new norm of learning to live with COVID-19 and its many variants.
However, Jafry believes that this decision will be successful only if travellers follow the SOPs imposed by the National Security Council.
“I must stress that if we wish to continue this advantage of travel and leisure, we must seriously abide by the SOPs as well.”
People in Sabah can now begin travelling within their districts because all tourism sites in the state are now allowed to welcome visitors from the districts in which they are located.
They must, however, ensure that they are fully vaccinated and have a low-risk status on their MySejahtera application. Even travel agencies should be aware of the following issues:
- Before conducting a tour or allowing a stay, travel agencies and hotels must obtain pre-approval from the state COVID-19 disaster management committee.
- Guests must be transported from point to point using pre-booked arrangements while maintaining contactless travel.
- Tour operators, hotels, resorts, and homestays must have all of their employees fully vaccinated.
Soon, we will be able to enjoy the luxury of travelling even further, but this will only be possible if we, as Malaysians, understand and follow the SOPs responsibly.
I beg you, follow the SOPs well, so we can all travel again.
Source: FMT
