Malaysia to work closely with Indonesia to strengthen the tourism industry- Dato' Sri Nancy Shukri

By TIN Media | Tourism Malaysia Published 3 years ago on 20 June 2020
Read News

MALAYSIA:

Unprecedented times call for out-of-the-box measures. A lot of concern regarding the tourism industry was depicted, keeping the concerns of travel and tourism professionals in mind, TIN Media hosted an hour-long virtual talk show on June 19 moderated by Presanth Chandra- Co-Founder of TIN Media having a fun and interactive conversation with the honorable guest to address on the crucial topics. Hon. Dato' Sri Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture, Malaysia, and Nia Niscaya, Deputy Minister for Marketing, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Agency- Indonesia joined the panel and shared their respective views and opinions on Regional Tourism Collaborative Opportunities post-COVID-19 for Malaysia & Indonesia.

Hon. Dato' Sri Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Art, and Culture said the ability to adapt during the crisis is commendable. The digital switch is envisioned as “we change for the better” and it should be taken positively.

Speaking on the tourism state of the country she said “As of 10 June 2020, Malaysia’s government announced that the domestic tourism sector could resume operations, which brought victory to the travel industry crippled by this pandemic. Such activities are needed to be carried out with the utmost responsibility by practicing the new normal and strictly adhering to all standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the National Security Council and the Ministry of Health.”

She also added that even though the VM2020 campaign is canceled, efforts should still be taken to promote the country as a safe tourist destination. Also, to ease the burden on the tourism industry, the Ministry has implemented several initiatives on Domestic Tourism Vibes online course, waiver of license fees for tour operators, travel agencies and tour guides and exemption of compound for tour operators, travel agencies and tour guides who failed to renew their licenses within the specified period due to the MCO. She also addressed that the implementation of various packages can help the industry players in reviving.

Dato’ Nancy also addressed that “many businesses have improved their digital presence and offer online services to remain relevant. As a result, many businesses have found new ways to diversify their portfolios and reach a broader market.”

Addressing the tourism industry players, She added that the Malaysian government has introduced robust economic incentives for the tourism sector to stimulate the public’s interest to travel. Among the incentives include the tourism tax exemption from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, an extension of service tax exemption for hotels to 30 June 2021, and extension of income tax relief of RM1,000 for domestic tourism expenses to 31 December 2021. To utilize the tax relief, Malaysians will have to spend on local businesses which would boost domestic tourism.  

Also, A lot of scope for regional tourism collaborative opportunities for Malaysia and Indonesia lies, said Dato Nancy Shukri. Malaysia will work closely with Indonesia to revitalise both countries’ tourism industry that was adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. She said, both countries will also be working with other ASEAN member countries as well as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), and the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) to revive the tourism industry in the region.

She said “For instance, we are working towards formulating ASEAN wide-ranging SOPs to facilitate travellers without neglecting essential aspects of health and safety of front liners, tourists and tourism employees. “It is through effective communication and the implementation of a systematic and effective ASEAN Tourism Marketing and Promotional Plan through strategic collaboration with industry players and other stakeholders,” she said.

Nia Niscaya, Deputy Minister for Marketing, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Agency- Indonesia said that “the government is trying hard to get rid of COVID-19 and taking measures for the same. Indonesia is still struggling and coping with COVID-19 but the recovery numbers are increasing portraying a positive sign for the tourism industry. On the collaboration of Malaysia and Indonesia, Ms. Nia said “collaborative efforts are very important in such time and it will be great to explore such scope in future.”

You can watch the virtual talk show here:https://business.facebook.com/tindotmedia/videos/vl.569165953734396/329872098204120/?type=1

 

 



Email TIN

TIN Media

TIN.media - Travel Industry Network is Malaysia's home grown B2B Travel Industry Media with the most influential B2B online resources including news, research, events, and marketing services and more.