The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) launched the domestic tourism recovery programme in efforts to revive the sector which was badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its Minister Nancy Shukri said the campaign also encompassed the Tourism Recovery Plan and the Culture Recovery Plan.

She said although the Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VM2020) has been canceled, efforts to promote the country as a safe tourism destination would continue to be implemented.

“We have a role to play to help revive the country’s tourism industry and make Malaysia a safe tourism destination in the future,” she told a press conference here.

Last Sunday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the conditional movement control order (MCO), from May 4 to June 9, would be replaced by the Recovery MCO beginning today which, among others, saw the reopening of domestic tourism.

Nancy said MOTAC had proposed to the National Security Council and the Ministry of Health detailed standard operating procedures for eight sub-sectors.

The sub-sectors are arts, culture and heritage exhibitions at cultural public facilities, hotel and accommodation, tour operator companies, tour guiding, tourism training institute operations, homestay programmes, adventure tourism, as well as scuba diving and snorkeling.

Nancy said several strategies had also been identified in order to help the country’s tourism and cultural sector to recover.

Among the strategies are prioritising the use of digital platforms such as social media, blogs, websites, as well as e-marketing to regain the confidence of the public to travel again, she added.

In an effort to help industry players affected by the Covid-19 outbreak, Nancy said MOTAC had taken several initiatives including conducting online Domestic Tourism Vibes course from May until December for tourist guides whose licences expire this year.

She said compound exemption would also be given to tourism operators and tourist guides who fail to renew their licences within the stipulated time due to the implementation of MCO.