The Malaysian Hotel Association (MAH) has urged the government to lift the inter-state travel ban to promote domestic tourism, and help the sector recover from the pandemic.

In a statement, it hoped that Putrajaya would allow cross-border travel "targeting and controlled" in line with his proposal for more stringent operating standards (SOPs).

This included a movement mechanism that monitors the accommodations of a person in the hotel and compulsory tests of Covid-19 prior to travel permission.

“The government could also allow interstate travel for individuals attending MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) activities with early registrations and hotel room reservations,” it said.

MAH also made it clear that the domestic tourism movements and the spread of Covid-19 involving inter-state activities have no link, saying that in case of domestic tourism being permitted during last year's order to control the recovery movement there was no spike.

The tourism sector has always complied with the SOP and said that the sector needs 'desperately space to generate income for the sustainable development of the industry and its 3.6 million employees.

“The domestic market is the industry’s only hope for survival until international tourism resumes, which is expected to take a longer time.”