When Malaysia's borders are fully opened, local tour operators will be ready to welcome international travellers once more.

During the tourism slowdown, much planning has been done, and operators believe they can give better holiday experiences to international visitors.

Datuk Tan Kok Liang, president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta), said the tourist industry has always maintained a clean and safe environment for everyone.

"Long before Covid-19, our industry prioritized hygiene and care when performing business. "Tourism did not initiate or cause Covid-19," he stated.

Tan also remarked that tourism operators had increased their health precautions, which he said will continue in the future.

"As usual, we will conduct our business with the necessary care and effort to ensure that we do not become the source of any Covid-19 cluster," he assured.

According to Tan, one of the most important determinants of tourists' motivation to travel to a region is safety.

This is why Matta worked with other industry partners to develop the Travel Safe Alliance Malaysia (TSAM) program, which ensures a safe end-to-end travel experience for visitors to Malaysia.

"TSAM is a program in which stakeholders, such as tour operators and travel agencies, are audited by an internationally recognized business based on a set of health and safety criteria," Tan added.

Airlines have also made steps to improve safety protocols and operations during the traffic slowdown.

"We have thoroughly prepared from an operational aspect to guarantee that all of our guests can fly safely, seamlessly, and with peace of mind," said Riad Asmat, chief executive officer of AirAsia Malaysia.
Passengers will benefit from a facial recognition boarding system, an e-boarding pass, and contactless check-in procedures, according to him.

Stakeholders will need to instill confidence in travelers in the future. Travel agencies, according to Tan, should raise client awareness and educate them on how to travel securely.

President of the Malaysia Tourist Guides Council, Jimmy Leong, emphasized the importance of this job in instilling travel confidence.

International travelers, according to Leong, would seek advice from local guides more than ever before.

"If travelers discover that some areas are overcrowded, tour guides can advise and aid them in rescheduling their trip plan." "The guide should also remind tourists of the SOP regularly," he added.

The excitement among tourist stakeholders for the reopening of borders was perfectly captured by Leong.

"We cannot deny that international tourists are required to resurrect the nearly 'dead' tourism business on our borders. We anticipate increased job opportunities and tourism dollars as a result of