Malaysia

Langkawi’s Bukit Malut has earmarked land for a racing circuit, resorts and other attractions. The Langkawi Tourism Industry Organisation praised the development, forecasting that it will boost the economy

The government will announce if Hari Raya travel can go ahead during Ramadan

Penang hotels are seeing an increase in occupancy and events, particularly for weekend bookings, even over Ramadan which is traditionally weak

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Support Grant (GSPSB) grant of a total of RM30 million, will restart its disbursement, after being delayed due to the MCO

The Health Ministry will decide if interstate travel over Hari Raya can go ahead, based on a risk assessment

The government is refining the procedures for Malaysian outbound travellers, including for umrah and ziarah. The Tourism Ministry is amongst those on a working visit to Saudi Arabia

Tour buses’ age limit will be extended to 15 years

The government is looking at an international travel bubble for Langkawi, similar to the Phuket sandbox model. Travellers, including domestic tourists, would need to be vaccinated, as would Langkawi residents. Malaysia will also discuss travel bubbles with Singapore and Thailand, as they believe that ASEAN-wide regulations will take too long to fall into place

The Feb unemployment rate for Malaysia declined to 4.8% from Jan’s 4.9%. Jobs in tourism-related industries remained on the decline

Sarawak will extend its CMCO from 13-26 Apr

The Penjana Tourism Sector Financing scheme has approved 308 applications out of 626 for a total of RM61.9 million. The fund is worth RM1 billion in total

A new study showed that digital payments in Malaysia were up 908% YoY in 2020 in Malaysia, whilst digital wallet payments grew 171% YoY

The Tourism Minister has called for Malaysians to visit domestic destinations they may have overlooked before

The government is looking for the private sector to build more museums in Malaysia

CBRE | WTW’s Real Estate Market Outlook 2021 have stated that average hotel occupancy in Klang Valley dropped to 30% in Q3 2020, from 81% in Q3 2019. They see 1,870 rooms opening in 2021 in Kuala Lumpur, with 25 more hotels planned for 2023

The RAM Business Confidence Index for Q1 2021 showed pessimism for Q2, with around half of those surveyed expecting revenue to decline

An NGO has called for the Penang government to convert some of the bungalows on Penang Hill into eco-friendly homestays

A Michael Page Malaysia survey showed that 33% of companies are looking to increase their headcount, whilst 40% will maintain the current number

The decision to allow interdistrict travel for certain Sabah zones has seen an uplift in domestic tourism, with occupancy levels in some resorts around Kota Kinabalu climbing to 70% over weekends and school holidays

The IMF is maintaining its GDP 2021 forecast for Malaysia of 6.5%, and expects its unemployment rate to decline to 3.8%

The Ministry of Tourism has said that hotel occupancy nationwide has increased to 24%, rising to 33% during the school holidays last week. In January and February, the average was 20% and 18%

Those looking to enter Sarawak, both non-Sarawakian Malaysians and non-Malaysians, must undergo 14-day quarantine at designated centres

The government has said that there are plans with 7 countries to resume international flights with Malaysia

Malaysia and Brunei have agreed in principle a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and are looking into the rules of such an arrangement. They also pledge to cooperate in potentially recognising one another’s vaccination certificates

The government will reinstate the original alignment of the East Coast Rail Link, allowing it to carry more freight

Sabah Tourism Board is working with Tourism Malaysia for joint promotional plans for the domestic and international markets. They plan to bring Sabah tourism stakeholders to Penang and Klang Valley for B2B events. Internationally, they are working on a Sabah ASEAN Webinar, with ASEAN travel agents attending

Putrajaya Corporation are welcoming development ideas from private companies to create new tourism products. One such project the government is looking at is glamping at the Wetlands Park, as well as a new Safari Park

Sarawak has launched its Sia Sitok version 2.0 intra-state tourism campaign to boost domestic tourism. It will be until 31 Oct, and focuses on Sarawakian residents and foreigners residing in Sarawak discounts of up to 50% off Sarawak tour packages

A survey undertaken by Tourism Malaysia in India showed that Indian travellers are interested in off-the-beaten-track destinations and soft adventure activities in Malaysia once travel resumes

A Penang Street Food Festival in Bangkok on 3 Apr was well received by locals in Thailand

The Sabah state government have said that a lifting of its interstate travel ban depends on the state of COVID-19 in the rest of the country, as Sabah tourism players plead to reopen. Domestic arrivals into Sabah are subject to a test 72 hours before arrival

The government has approved a 3rd MRT line to be built in the Klang Valley, the Circle Line, which was previously cancelled

Sabah Parks will launch an online booking system for Mt Kinabalu soon

Malaysia and China have in principle agreed to recognise one another’s vaccination certificates. They have also established a Malaysia-China committee for cooperation on areas including travel facilitation

Sabah Tourist Association have called for the government to reopen interstate travel, saying that “the industry has seen practically zero income for more than a year now” and more jobs may be lost if an interstate travel ban continues. 30% of Budget Hotel Malaysia Association Sabah chapter’s members have closed temporarily

Miri has introduced a new sunset cruise

Tourism Malaysia has said that nationals from Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia would likely be the first permitted to enter Malaysia in Q2, with China, Japan and Korea in Q3

Sabah is working on a plan for a travel bubble with Singapore to start after Hari Raya. It involves a safe travel route from Singapore to Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu and Sutera@Mantanani. The Sabah Tourism Ministry is waiting for the green light from the state government, and needs to finetune procedures with Malaysia Airports, too, Tourism Malaysia and Singapore

Agoda has seen no international searches from Malaysians in March 2021 or December 2020 make it to the top 30 list

Convention centres are reporting low forward bookings and do not see recovery in H1 2021, even though MICE events are permitted at 50% capacity under CMCO areas

UMNO ministers will stay in the Cabinet, despite UMNO deciding to split from supporting the Prime Minister’s party

Tourism Malaysia sees India and the Middle East as key markets, and has launched a #WeMissYou campaign aimed at Middle Eastern and Indian tourists at the Gulf Travel Show. Gujarat in India in particular remains a key target

Tourism Malaysia has launched specially discounted domestic tour packages for civil servants

Bank Negara expect the Malaysian economy to grow 6-7.5% in 2021, achieving pre-pandemic levels of GDP by mid-2021. They presume that herd immunity will only be achieved in Q1 2022, and that international borders could remain closed for the whole of 2021, but lockdown measures would become more targeted

The Malaysian government has said once again that vaccinated travellers must still undergo quarantine on arrival to the country

Bank Negara sees modest market conditions for hotels in 2021 due to higher competition and operational costs

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) expects 2021 to be worse than 2020, with no signs of international tourists returning until 2022

Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Penang, Kelantan will stay under CMCO until 1-14 Apr, and Sarawak under CMCO until 12 Apr. All other states are under RMCO until 14 Apr

More than two thirds of SMEs expect their businesses to recover by Apr, according to a Mastercard Impact Study

The government will extend a moratorium on loan repayments from Apr-Jun for bus operators

Sabah’s Chief Minister has told tourism players that this is a chance to reset strategies. Under the state’s 5 year plan, it wants to balance mass tourism with high yield tourism, and has said that new attractions must be developed and a focus on sustainability

The Religious Affairs Minister will soon visit Saudi Arabia to get details on the requirements for 2021’s haj season

The private sector will be permitted to operate at 100% capacity under CMCO areas from 1 Apr

Melaka is looking at partnering with other states to create bilateral domestic tourism programs, including a Melaka-Terengganu Tourism package

Malaysia recorded just 941 cases on 29 Mar, the first time that cases have fell below 1,000 since 9 Dec

The Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) will hold an e-travel fair during Ramadan to increase domestic tourism

Kelantan state will provide fiscal support to its tourism industry, including RM500-1,000 one-off grants for hotel operators, tour guides and tour boat operators

Langkawi Tourism Association has called for the government to issue clearer guidelines on interstate travel for tourism between RMCO states, saying that the current situation is unclear and presents large fines for those who misunderstand. Only 10-25% of hotel rooms in Langkawi are occupied

The Mersing Tourism Association is preparing for the district to reopen after the monsoon season has ended. It has been running tour guide courses to upskill them, as well as raising awareness of marine life conservation

Sarawak has extended its CMCO until 12 Apr

MHholidays packages can now be bought for codeshare partner destinations

Malaysian Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (Maceos) have forecast that it can achieve 50% of its 1,138 events in 2019 in 2021, with revenue of RM1 billion

The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) will try to make healthcare travel into Malaysia more attractive, allowing chartered flights to come in regularly to reduce costs. In 2020 after reopening to medical tourists, Malaysia welcomed around 100 people

Domestic travel players have seen travellers increase between RMCO states, according to the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association

Kinabalu Geopark could be listed as a UNESCO Global Geopark by 2022, according to the Sabah state government

The government has extended its COVID-19 Act until 30 Jun 2021, which protects companies under contract from protection from legal action if they fail to meet contractual obligations, including for tourism companies

The Malaysia Tourism Council (MTC) is calling for local tourism players to develop new products in Malaysia to win the domestic market, such as to Lenggong Valley, a UNESCO site in Perak. They are also planning to host agent fam trips to Pulau Tuba in Langkawi, and islands off Johor

Kuching is now promoting cycling tours

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has prepared procedures should international travel reopen, including using registered tour agents, and small groups. They are aiming to open up activities such as golfing and diving to tourist, and see 6 target countries for travel bubbles: Singapore, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, China and Brunei

Malaysia Airlines has now officially started its restructuring process, and RM1.5 billion of its Islamic bonds will be cancelled on 29 Mar

Malaysia is removing its “one dose, one reserve” policy, as it is satisfied with the delivery schedule from its current providers. This will allow the ministry to complete Phase 1, vaccinating 500k people, faster, with up to 20,000 doses given per day

The Ministry of Health has said that 3,170 cases were down to interstate travel from 1 Jan to 21 Mar

Shopee, an e-commerce platform which is selling “Jom Cuti-Cuti Malaysia! Experience Malaysia Like Never Before” travel deals has seen 22,000 packages sold since 2 Mar – previously it had sold just 500 between 11 Jan to 1 Mar. 75% of the staycation activities were bought by residents the Klang Valley, Penang, Sabah and Johor. It also saw popularity from Sarawak, Terengganu and Melaka buying Buy Now, Travel Later deals. Popular attractions include Aquaria KLCC, Sunway Lagoon, Zoo Negara, Rainbow Skywalk at The Top Penang and Wonderfood Museum in Penang

Whether interstate travel is permitted for Hari Raya is dependent on the daily COVID-19 situation, infectivity rates, current death rates, hospitality capacity, health workers and sample testing

The Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH) has called for the government to allow controlled interstate travel as the high number of cases related to interstate travel were not generated by tourism

The Tourism Ministry sees potential in ecotourism along the Santaba River in Limbang, Sarawak

Sarawak will no longer require domestic travellers into the state to undergo a COVID test 3 days prior to departure, but they will still need to undergo a 14-day quarantine

Domestic cruises will restart from Penang, the Penang Port and Genting Cruise Lines announced. They will run 1 night and 2 night cruises from Penang to Langkawi on the Star Pisces ship from 13 May, timed to coincide with the Hari Raya holidays

Johor state are disbursing RM1.5 million in tourism vouchers, as well as RM1,000 to 1,000 tour guides in Johor, and RM10,000 to 2,00 tourism associations and companies

MATTA estimate that 90% of travel agents have remained inactive and are in hibernation in 2021

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has criticised the government for not having a plan for border reopening. It has said that more than 12,000 hotel employees have been retrenched, lost their jobs or had wages cut, and 90 hotels have closed, either temporarily or permanently

‘This is Pahang’ will be the new theme for the state to revive its tourism industry

The MAH Penang chapter has said that Penang hotels expect a proper recovery in 2022. They predicted a 50% growth in events at Penang hotels if interstate travel is allowed. 9 hotels have announced closure in Penang, but one will reopen under new management

The Malaysia Tourism Council has thanked the government for its new economic support, and has urged the tourism industry to be more creative and adapt to the pandemic

Malaysia will try to avoid nationwide and state-wide lockdowns going forward, to avoid impacting the economy. Instead, the MCO will be imposed only on those high infection areas

Spectators will be allowed at sports events in stadiums and sports venues from 1 Apr

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that a risk-based approach, rather than blanket travel bans, will help boost domestic tourism

The Tourism Ministry has launched a new competition, Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Travel Wish 2021, which aims to promote domestic tourism

The government has released new measures aimed at helping the tourism industry under the PEMERKASA stimulus package. These include: • Extension of tourism tax and service tax for hotel accommodation until 31 Dec • Entertainment duty exemption for entrance fees, including theme parks within Federal Territories • Tax relief of RM1,000 for those who buy packages from registered tour agents • Delay of monthly income tax payment from 1 Apr-31 Dec 2021 • Exempted from Human Resources Development Fund until Jun 2021 • Wage Subsidy Program 3.0 extended for additional 3 months • One-off special assistance grant of RM3,000 for 5,000 tour agents • One-off cash assistance of RM600 for 4,000 homestay operators • Continued 10% discount on electricity bill for hotels, theme parks, convention centres, shopping malls, airline officers and travel agents until 30 Jun

The MAH has said that the government’s continued wage subsidy is appreciated, but they had hoped for higher support for wage subsidies, as well as a reduction in electricity bills. They have recorded just an 18% occupancy rate in Feb and 20% in Jan. They also called for the ban on interstate travel to be lifted. MATTA have called for the government’s plan to reopen interstate travel, as well as international borders, be shared with the trade

The World Bank has said that Malaysia will become a high-income economy between 2024-2028

The Ministry of Tourism is drawing up 13 guidelines to ensure that the tourism industry can thrive

The Malaysian Budget Hotel Association (MyBHA) has said that the government still needs to implement more substantial measures to support the industry’s survival

The Tourism Ministry has said that they are holding regular discussions with tourism stakeholders to ensure that all issues raised are looked into

Agoda have shared that they have seen an increase in the number of last minute travel searches for same day and next day check ins for Malaysians vs 2020

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that it is in close talks with the Tourism Ministry and industry partners such as Costa Crociere SpA to look at SOPs for domestic cruises. The organisation has also been lobbying for Malaysia to have a home-port status

The CMCO will be extended in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor and Kelantan until 31 Mar. Perlis, Melaka, Pahang, Terengganu, Sabah, Putrajaya, Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Labuan will be under RMCO until 31 Mar. Sarawak remains under CMCO until 29 Mar

Ramadan bazaars and mass prayers will be permitted during Ramadan, the government has confirmed

Kedah has seen an increase in the number of tourists to Langkawi since it was placed under RMCO

The Sarawak Tourism Minister has said that the Feb 2021 domestic arrivals were just 7,369 vs 199,893 in 2020, and international arrivals 1,600 vs 111,275 in 2020

Malaysia had its lowest 2021 new daily cases of 1,208 on 15 Mar

The Economics Minister has urged the Tourism Ministry to create a working paper on the issues the tourism industry is facing, and present it to the Economic Action Council

Sabah will allow sea and river recreational activities from 15 Mar

Putrajaya is aiming to transform itself into a recreational city over the next 25 years

Thai AirAsia will reopen all of its 40 domestic routes in Apr. They will also return their flight frequency and seat capacity to 100% of the pre-2nd wave levels

OYO Hotel and Homes have offered OYO Hotels as accommodation for frontliners working in quarantine centres

The Malaysia Tourism Council are lobbying to set up a dedicated bank for tourism, which would help local and foreign investment, as well as support tourism players financially

MATTA has said that more time is needed for tour operators to develop special packages for interstate travel between RMCO states

After Langkawi was declared an RMCO area from 10 Mar, hundreds of tourists have been seen at the jetties to go to the island

The Malaysian Transport Minister hopes that the Malaysia-Singapore border could reopen to boost economies

The CMCO has been extended in Sarawak until 29 Mar

Airbnb’s Meaningful Travel Trends Survey 2021 has shown that: • 82% of Malaysians are more connected to family since the pandemic hit, with 70% planning to reconnect with family once travel resumes • 50% are expecting to spend RM2,000 or less on domestic travel • Family friendly destinations are at the top of the list for travel • Penang, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu and Johor are the top destinations • 60% consider the environment and sustainability when choosing accommodation

The Ministry of Tourism has said that they are in active discussions on travel bubbles with China, and are potentially looking at introducing a travel bubble between Langkawi and Indonesia by Q2. Qatar Airways is also in talks with the Langkawi Development Authority to promote the destination to international travel

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) estimate that 100 hotels have now temporarily or permanently closed, with job losses of 20,000

AmBank Research has said that it will create a centralised tourism data bank, to help the industry

The Ministry of Tourism has said that they are focusing on creating personalised eco-packages for smaller groups of tourists. Tourism Malaysia expects the number of international arrivals to increase by end of 2021, and predict the first arrivals will be from neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei

Johor politicians are calling to allow vaccinated Singaporeans into the state without quarantine

Sabah Parks have asked UNESCO to gazette Kinabalu Park as a Global Geopark

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Melaka Chapter said that the latest step, allowing interstate travel for RMCO states, was a step forwards, but it was too early to say if it would have a significant impact

The Tourism Minister urged tourism players to take advantage of the new travel bubbles with RMCO states

The Negri Sembilan government are encouraging their departments to hold events in hotels to help the tourism industry, so long as it was within their budget

Tourism Malaysia has said that the country is in “safe mode”, but remains active, with overseas offices continuing to have B2B discussions, as well as outreach on social media

MATTA has said that the move to allow interstate travel amongst RMCO states “won’t have a significant impact” due to the fact that the RMCO states are not major tourism sources. However, the MAH said that it was an indication that the government is taking the industry seriously

Tourism Malaysia has said that the county is looking into travel bubbles with Singapore, Brunei, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Discussions are still ongoing for the proposed RGL with Indonesia

Malaysia’s 2020 tourism receipts dropped 85.3% to RM12.69 bil, whilst international tourist arrivals dropped to 4.33 million from 26.1 million in 2019. ASEAN countries were Malaysia’s top contributor, with 68.1% share, whilst the top 10 international arrivals were Singapore (1.55 million), Indonesia (711,723), China (405,149), Thailand (394,413), India (155,883), Brunei (136,020), South Korea (119,750), Japan (74,383), Australia (72,680) and Vietnam (64,184)

Events with live audiences in the creative industries may be held from 10 Mar nationwide. 50% capacity is allowed for CMCO areas, whilst under RMCO is subject to the venue being able to impose social distance

The work from home policy still applies for the public sector and offices. For CMCO areas, offices should operate at 30% capacity, whilst RMCO is permitted to operate fully

783,654 My30 unlimited travel passes have been sold since it was introduced

30 Malaysian organisations took part in the ITB Berlin NOW event

Malaysia is relying on revenge spend domestic tourists to boost the industry once fully reopened

Malaysia’s unemployment rate in Jan increased to 4.9% vs Dec’s 4.8%. The government have said that this increase is due to a review of business strategies in tourism-related industries. Employment in the tourism industry continued to decrease

The government will allow interstate travel between RMCO states – however, all travel has to be undertaken using a registered tour bus company, who must seek approval from the police. Interstate RCMO travel in private vehicles will not be permitted. Stopping in CMCO states en route is also not allowed

The Tourism Malaysia director-general warned tourism players to continue their focus on domestic tourism once the pandemic is under control

The Tourism Minister has said that the industry is now focusing on maximising existing resources, including ecotourism, rural and experiential tourism, and enhancing niche products

Malaysia has confirmed that those who travel between their 1st and 2nd dose of vaccinations will still be subject to mandatory quarantine on their return. The government are still waiting for official guidance from the WHO for fully vaccinated travellers and quarantine length

The Finance Minister has said that the country has shown signs of economic recovery since the imposition of the first MCO in March 2020, and believes that “the worst is behind us”

Primary schools fully reopened from 8 Mar

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that vague SOPs had a role in causing hotels to stop operating during the MCO, after a Minister had said that the government had never instructed hotels to close. They hope the government will extend further support until international tourism returns

Whilst interdistrict travel in all states has been permitted since 5 Mar, the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners has said that hotels are not likely to benefit from the move

The Communications and Multimedia Ministry will support the Tourism Ministry to boost domestic tourism with broadcasts on RTM and BERNAMA

The Melaka state government is optimistic that its tourism can be revived now that interdistrict is permitted once more

The Finance Ministry is looking into more data to develop targeted financial relief measures for businesses. They have said that companies in the tourism sector are among those who need assistance, and that some other kind of help may need to be provided than loans

Langkawi hotels are calling for air travel bubbles from green zone domestic states, to use the island as a test case before reopening domestic travel fully

23 hotels have closed down in Langkawi, including 3* hotels and 15 budget hotels and homestays

A new B2B portal, UPass, to promote domestic tourism niche products will be launched by the Malaysia Tourism Council in Apr. It will have a dynamic pricing feature and instant confirmation

Climbing at Mt Kinabalu reopened on 5 Mar, with 35 climbers

The Health Ministry has said that the interstate travel ban may be lifted by 18 Mar if the infection levels drop to manageable levels. However, it would not be a blanket opening of state borders

The Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO) have called for the removal of the interstate travel ban

Foreign workers will be allowed back into Sarawak, but they must undergo a 14-day quarantine

The government is considering whether to allow interstate travel between RMCO states, particularly if travellers have to pass through CMCO states on their journey

For those Malaysians who have to travel to Sarawak, they must do a swab test 3 days prior to departure, as well as undergo a 14-day quarantine, whilst those to Sabah must take a swab test 3 days prior to arrival and are not required to quarantine if they are symptom-free

The Malaysian Retail Association is calling for travel restrictions to be lifted

Hoteliers have welcomed the move to reopen international borders to business travellers

The government has said that they will allow business travellers to enter Malaysia, both short-term and long-term. They will need to apply via the Safe Travel portal. Those staying for less than 14 days may be allowed to skip quarantine with approval from the committee. Business travellers include potential and existing investors, board members, executives and associates of Malaysian companies, business customers for product inspection before commercial production and technical experts. Longer-term business travellers will be subject to a 14-day quarantine

Patients who test positive for COVID-19, those are under investigation or close contacts ang those under surveillance will need to wear tracking devices from 11 Mar

The Health Minister has said that Malaysia will issue a smart vaccination certification for COVID-19. It will be ready within a month as they are discussing the details with the WHO to ensure that it is internationally recognised

Genting Malaysia is planning to cut employees’ salaries once more until May

After complaints over the continued interdistrict travel ban in Sabah, it will now allow travel between certain zones to stimulate the economy. Ranau, the district which is home to the Kinabalu Park, has been include din the same zones as Kota Kinabalu, to allow tourism activities to the area

Zoo Negara will reopen on 5 Mar, with 20% of tickets. The number of visitors will be limited to 2,500

Sarawak is launching new incentives for MICE, called the Tribe Homegrown, with 2 categories. The convention category will see applicants receive a matching grant for their event, while the corporate meetings and incentives category will offer subsidies starting from RM3,000-RM5,000. Sarawak-based tourism industry partners can apply for a one-off RM5,000 grant for advertising, marketing and promotion under Tribe Collaborate

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has given the government a 37-point list of ways in which the tourism industry could be helped. Some of the measures include extending the wage subsidy program, loan moratoriums, changes in government policy, training, support for local digital platforms, boosting travellers’ confidence and grants for the digitalisation of tourism companies

Malaysia’s Parliament will not reconvene until the State of Emergency expires on 1 Aug, a cabinet minister has said

Malaysia launched its first electric bus in Kuching, offering free transportation to locals and visitors to key stops in the city

Interdistrict travel will be allowed nationwide except for Sabah. However, the interstate travel ban will remain in place

The Health Director-General has said that protecting Malaysia’s “green zones” should be a priority when deciding on allowing interstate travel

Travel between Kuala Lumpur and Selangor will be permitted under the CMCO

Sunway Resort will embark on a $60 mil USD renovation for its hotel. It will upgrade its technological offering, as well as enhanced sustainability offerings. They will also introduce a Premium Leisure Club, designed for parents to enjoy leisure time whilst their children play in a Kids Club

Cinemas will be allowed to reopen from 5 Mar

Johor hopes that those who are vaccinated will be able to travel between the state and Singapore

The Tourism Minister has said that the removal of the inter-district travel ban will stimulate tourism

Sabah has created a travel bubble between two private resorts and Mantanani Island off Kota Belud, allowing travel from Sutera Harbour to the island for those booked under a tour package

Malaysia’s lockdown measures will be eased. From 5 Mar, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor and Penang would be put under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), joining Kedah, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Perak and Sarawak. The rest of the country is under Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). Under CMCO, cultural events are allowed but without an audience, tourist attractions are permitted to be opened, weddings and social gatherings are permitted at 50% of venue capacity, and MICE gatherings also allowed at 50% under CMCO areas (100% with social distancing in RMCO areas)

The Tourism Minister is concerned over the announcement by the Health Director-General that an interstate travel ban could be in place until 70-80% of the population is vaccinated

The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) has praised the government for allowing MICE to take place in MCO areas. A recent survey of their members showed that 64% believed they would not be able to survive another 3 months of MCO with no events

A coalition of almost 1 mil businesses in Malaysia has warned against prolonging the interstate travel ban, calling for targeted lockdowns instead

New guidelines have been launched for MICE activities under MCO orders, including limited opening hours, a maximum of 25% of a venue’s participants, with a maximum of 250 pax per event. Programs must be limited to 2 hours, and attendees over the age of 60 are discouraged

The PM has promised to hold elections as soon as the pandemic eases

The government is looking at rolling out saliva tests at government hospitals

Tourism associations have said that the tourism industry cannot wait until Malaysia has reached 70% immunity before lifting interdistrict and interstate travel restrictions

Malaysia and the UK are looking into a collaboration which would include reciprocal vaccinations for each other’s nationals, a reciprocal travel bubble and guaranteed access to UK manufactured vaccines for Malaysia

The Ministry of Tourism will prioritise infrastructure in potential tourism destinations, including Sabah and Sarawak. They will also increase their overseas promotions

Over 3,500 people have received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccination, and 1.2 mil people have registered online via the MySejatera app

The Health Director-General has said that travel restrictions may not be relaxed under Malaysia achieves herd immunity, which could take up to 9 months

The Tourism Minister has said that they are applying for the extension of the one-off incentive under the Domestic Travel Bubble scheme until Dec 2021

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) have urged the government for liquidity and financial assistance for SME travel agents, including a loan moratorium, wage subsidy and grants

Sarawak will remain under CMCO until 15 Mar, with the extension of EMCO in certain areas

Sabah has launched a new book now, travel later campaign aimed at Thai millennials and expats residing in Thailand. Amongst others, it will promote adventure and sports tourism

MICE activities will be permitted to reopen in MCO areas from 5 Mar, but will be limited to 25% of the venue capacity, with a maximum of 250 people. New statistics have shown that in 2020 MICE generated RM2.2 billion, a big drop from 2019’s RM9.25 billion

The Department of Statistics Malaysia expects Malaysia to have better economic performance in the coming months

The Sarawak Tourism Federation is calling for the state government to review its 14-day quarantine requirement for vaccinated travellers

Many major tourism attractions in Sabah remain closed, despite the easing of its status to CMCO

The government has said that Malaysia’s financial recovery is progressing with the start of the vaccination program, and urged tourism players to take advantage of the RM 1 billion PENJANA Tourism Funding scheme. As of 12 Feb, only 282 applications for RM57.1 million had been approved

Resorts World Genting is set to open its new themepark, Genting SkyWorlds in Q2 2021. It will have 26 rides and attractions, and will be able to welcome 20,000 visitors. Initially, the themepark will require pre-booking and will implement limited tickets to adhere to social distancing. It anticipates a high level of demand from domestic tourists

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that more hotel closures is a “harsh reality” of the pandemic, and that the government must provide more financial assistance

Johor hopes that the vaccination program will help to reinstate cross border travel between Malaysia and Singapore

The government will discuss allowing interdistrict and interstate travel for states under CMCO

The number of active cases in Malaysia has fallen by more than 40% over the past 2 weeks

The government clarified that they did not instruct hotels to close during MCO 2.0, as the restaurants are still permitted to open

The Transport Minister has said that he is discussing a universal certification to recognise those who have been vaccinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He revealed that Singapore has also been in contact to ask if a universal certification would be possible

Tourism Malaysia India has been engaging with the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) to brief them on Malaysia’s latest tourism products and situation

The Melaka MATTA chapter has said that 50% of its tourism players have closed down, judging by 2021 membership renewals. Those which are still active have not yet resumed operations due to the interdistrict and interstate travel restrictions

Setia City Convention Centre in Selangor has rolled out virtual and hybrid studios for events, and Setia SPICE Penang is planning a similar rollout in Q1. The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is also offering new studios with production-grade AV equipment and a team of technical experts

The World Bank has said that Malaysia’s economy is expected to return to positive growth in 2021, between 5.6-6.7%

MAVCOM have insisted that airlines should refund their customers for cancelled flights, and has stated that “The manner of refund should place the affected consumers in a similar position at the point of purchasing the ticket”

The government will use the TracVirus app for all individuals entering Malaysia, starting with a 2-week trial at Kuala Lumpur International Airport before being rolled out to other entry points

Sabah recorded its lowest number of daily cases in 5 months on 21 Feb

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is calling for the government to lift the interstate and interdistrict travel bans, saying that it “does not make sense” for tourist attractions to reopen when these are still in place, making it a “meaningless” move. They warned that tourism businesses would not be able to take another ban, and that the sector “is as good as dead right now.” The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) also made a statement along similar lines, whilst the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association was of the opinion that tourism operators have to see the bigger picture of the travel restrictions and could find activities in their own districts

The Rapid Transit System Link (RTS) between Singapore and Johor should be completed by Dec 2026

Malaysia will start to get 5G connectivity in stages by the end of 2021

Penang state has released the Penang People’s Aid Package 3.1, worth RM8.41 mil. It includes one-off assistance of RM500 for tour bus drivers, registered tour guides and others. And tourism operators will receive a one-off assistance of RM1,000

Schools across Malaysia are set to open from 1 Mar in phases. Pre-school, Year One and Year Two students will resume in-person learning from 1 Mar, Years Three-Six from 8 Mar, and all secondary students in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu will return from 4 Apr, other states from 5 Apr

90% of tour guides in Kuala Lumpur have renewed their tour guiding licences, with the remaining 10% moving to other jobs

The government will consider Sabah tourism industry’s appeal to lift interstate and interdistrict travel bans

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) have said that there must be strict measures for any Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) arrangements

Malaysia is looking at expanding Reciprocal Green Lanes (RGLs) to Bruei, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Japan, in additional to Singapore and Indonesia

The Tourism Ministry will organise a virtual Chinese New Year Open House on 20 Feb

Sarawak has said that wildlife conservation is a priority for the state

Malaysia saw 73,000 new jobs created in 2020, a drop from 2019’s 104,000

The government will allow all restaurants nationwide to seat more than 2 people to a table for dine-in from 19 Feb, subject to social distancing

Spas and wellness centres will be permitted to open under CMCO and RCMO areas

Tourism and cultural activities will be allowed to resume at 50% capacity in CMCO areas

79 hotels have signed up to be temporary accommodation for migrant workers

Sarawak’s Sia Sitok campign will be launched with a new version in Mar, with 60 packages, double the initial campaign in Jul 2020. Sarawak is estimating a total visitor arrival of 1.1 million in 2021, with receipts of RM2.64 bil. The original campaign generated RM1.5 mil in sales with 941 packages sold and 5,668 tourists. They also plan to enhance the Sarawak Travel app as an e-commerce platform. They will also work on capturing more comprehensive visitor data

The movement control order (MCO) has been extended until 4 March for Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor and Penang, whilst all other states except Perlis, will be under conditional movement control order (CMCO). Perlis will be under the recovery movement control order (RMCO). States under CMCO are permitted to hold social gatherings, and meetings and conferences at 50% of the venue capacity, and economic activities from 6am-12am

Resorts World Genting reopened operations on 16 Feb

Penang state government is encouraging tourism players to research and explore new places. They applauded Penang hoteliers for being innovative. The state sees it being a long time for recovery, and that tourism businesses may need to develop big data capabilities, and optimise hotel facilities for generating ancillary revenue. The state will also focus on responsible domestic tourism, and see domestic tourism being a key driver of recovery over the coming years

The government relaxed its restriction for states under MCO, lifting its 10km ban, but keeping the interstate and interdistrict travel bans

The Malaysian Association of Hotels has said that hotel occupancy levels are expected to remain at 20% in Q1 2021, but anticipate an uplift once vaccines have been rolled out

The Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) has said that more hotels will cease operations if the MCO is extended. They stated that around 33% of budget hotels had closed temporarily or permanently, with 10,000 employees made redundant, on unpaid leave or resigned

Melaka hotels are calling for the lifting of interstate and interdistrict travel after seeing a good number of in-dining restaurant bookings for Valentine’s Day

Sarawak will continue to be under CMCO from 15 Feb to 1 Mar, including Sibu, Selangau, Kanowit, Kapit and Song districts which are currently under MCO

The Kemaman Zoo and Recreation Park in Kuala Terengganu has seen an increase in its 2020 visitors of 49%

The Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO) has urged the government to allow hotels to accept guests for overnight stays and meetings. They also asked for the interstate and interdistrict travel ban to be lifted. They have said that 6 hotels have closed since the latest MCO on 13 Jan, and many others have had to put employees on 50% wage cuts and unpaid leave

Royale Chulan Bukit Bintang hotel will close permanently from 11 Feb

TixCarte, a Malaysian startup, have partnered with Tiqets for their inventory

Malaysia’s GDP fell by 5.6% in 2020, the sharpest contraction since 1998 during the Asian financial crisis

The government is aiming to create 500,000 job opportunities in 2021, despite the 4.8% unemployment rate in Dec, the same rate as in Nov. The Finance Minister also revealed that the value of tax exemptions for accommodation providers reached RM1.37 billion

The SME Association of Malaysia have called for inter-state and inter-district travel bans to be lifted, saying it was adversely affecting SMEs. However, the Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association have said that they are willing to accept continued restrictions, but would find them “painful” nonetheless

Malaysia will allow gyms, race tracks and golf courses to reopen on 12 Feb, subject to capacity limits

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has urged the government not to extend the current MCO, saying that “an extended interstate travel ban would force more into closures.”

Malaysia’s GDP in Q4 contracted by 3.4%, compared to Q3’s 2.6%, due to the imposition of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from mid-Oct. Services contracted 4.9% in Q4, due to tourism related industries suffering

The suggestion by the Ministry of Tourism to house foreign workers in hotels has been criticised by the Malaysia Budget & Business Hotel Association, who have said that the rate fixed by the government is too low, and hotels risk being damaged and losing out. The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) also said that the scheme may not be beneficial for hotels, saying that there would be higher wear and tear, and special controls would need to be in place

Kedah will offer interest-free soft loans to tourism businesses, with the maximum amount capped at RM5,000. The state expects around 400 applicants

Penang hotels are interested in turning into low-risk COVID centres or workers’ hostels. 9 hotels have closed permanently in the state, with 21 temporarily closed

Malaysia’s Immunitee Health Passport has partnered with Singapore’s Temasek, allowing it to be accepted in Singapore. It stores immunisation records and vaccine data

Malaysia will exempt Cabinet Ministers who travel abroad on official visits from a 10-day quarantine on return, and will simply be under “supervision” for 3 days. Malaysian citizens and health associations have criticised the double standards

Sarawak will keep its 14-day quarantine policy for anyone entering the state from overseas

The Health Ministry has said that the new daily number of cases in Malaysia seems to have stabilised, and they are hopeful that by 18 Feb, cases will be on a downward trend

Dining in at restaurants will be permitted from 10 Feb, limited to 2 customers/ table, and all retail shops will be allowed to reopen

Malaysia’s 2020 unemployment rate grew to 4.5% in 2020, the highest since 1993

The Sarawak Tourism Minister has said that the interstate travel ban should remain in place until the COVID-19 situation is under control

The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (MACEOS) has suggested permanently creating special lanes for Indonesian travellers at Malaysian airports and immigration departments. They have also proposed to the government that their member convention centres are using as temporary mass vaccination centres

The Ministry of Tourism will focus on business tourism and MICE, with the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau ensuring that MICE tourists strictly followed any protocols in place

A UNICEF survey has shown that unemployment in low-income urban Kuala Lumpur families doubled during the CMCO in Dec 2020, finding that one in three adults were unemployed

A Q4 survey has shown that less than half of respondents agreed that Budget 2021 is sufficient

Malaysia Airlines have confirmed that they are in talks with the government to implement a “health passport”, but did not reveal any more details

Malaysia won the Fourth Most Expected MICE Destination at the China MICE Industry Golden Chair Awards. It has won the title for 5 consecutive years

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry are looking at setting up travel bubble arrangements with Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, other ASEAN nations and countries such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. However, it is subject to bilateral discussions

Revised guidelines for Chinese New Year have been released, which will allow Malaysians to gather with close family on Chinese New Year’s Eve, so long as they are within 10km of one another

Penang tourism attractions have complained that they should be allow to reopen as they have good crowd control and hygiene levels

Businesses are desperately urging the government to allow them to reopen for Chinese New Year shopping, saying they are losing more than RM120 million in seasonal goods

Penang government has called for the public to support hotels who have started to sell food during the MCO to generate revenue

The Ministry of Tourism is working with the Department of Labour to provide temporary accommodation for workers in hotels, with applications now open for hotels to register their interest

Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) between the 2 nations, which the Tourism Minister expects will revitalise Malaysia’s tourism industry. The date has yet to be announced

Zoo Negara have said that it can only cover costs until April if the MCO continues

Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council forecast that medical tourism will generate just half of 2019’s revenue in 2021, aiming for RM800 million and RM1 billion by 2022

Bank Negara have allocated an extra RM2 billion for the Targeted Relief and Recovery Facility for SMEs, bringing the allocation to RM4 billion

More than 1,056 people have been evacuated due to floods in Sarawak

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) is calling on the government to provide immediate assistance. It said more than 100 hotels had stopped operations, directly affecting 7,000 employees who lost jobs. MAH continue to call for the government to consider its 19-point proposal, including that hospitality workers are prioritised for the vaccine

The PM has reaffirmed that once the COVID-19 situation eases, he will dissolve Parliament and call a General Election

The Malaysian Retail Chain Association has said that almost on third of small retail businesses have “collapsed” since the new MCO 2.0 was implemented. They also forecast more business closures and staff layoffs

At least 88% of businesses in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru saw a decrease in sales over a period of 12 months to Aug 2020, according to a survey by Think City

The MCO will be extended by an additional 2 weeks until 18 Feb. Only Sarawak will remain under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO)

573 applications have been received for the PENJANA Tourism Financing scheme, of which 277 have been approved for a total financing of RM55.4 million of RM1 billion

Industries Unite, which represents 40 industries, has called on the government to provide more assistance to businesses

The government released guidelines for Chinese New Year celebrations, banning lion dances, and limiting gatherings to those in the same household only

The former Finance Minister has accused the current Cabinet of gross incompetence, saying that it is doing nothing to overcome the dire tourism sector’s situation

Terengganu state will allocate one-off incentives of a total of RM132,200 to tourism workers whose income is impacted, including 50 rickshaw drivers, 18 passenger boat drivers, tourist guides and mountain guides

The Malaysia Budget Hotel Association has said that 40% of budget hotels are on the verge of closure. They will all for the government to regulate short-term rental accommodation, as well as disallow OTAs from charging high commissions

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council have signed an MoU with DoctorOnCall, to allow telehealth services

Selangor will grant full exemption on entertainment duty on entrance fee tickets to theme parks in the state, from 18 Mar 2020 to 31 Dec 2021. They will also reduce the duty rate from 25% to 5% from 2022-2026

Knight Frank Malaysia have said that Malaysia is the 3rd most attractive country for hotel investment in SE Asia

Sabah’s state tourism minister has said that the state’s tourism will take a longer time to recover compared to others in Malaysia, due to the dependence on flights to bring in travellers. The Sabah Tourism Board are looking at promoting alternative destinations off the beaten path, catering for smaller groups of tourists, as well as increasing the number of flights other districts in the state. Their focus is to “upgrade the tourism facilities for high yield tourists”. They will also give RM300 financial aid to mountain porters, tourist guides and art industry businesses, and are looking at how to help the hotel industry in Sabah

Sarawak received just 1.99 million tourists in 2020, -74.2% YoY, with only 363,304 of them international. Domestic tourists dropped by 65.67%. Its overall 2020 state tourism receipts dropped 75.12% YoY to RM2.88 billion

The Tourism Ministry have revised its hotel occupancy forecast down to 27.8% for 2021, without taking into account the implementation of MCO 2.0

Singapore and Malaysia have reached an in principle agreement for travel in cases of family bereavement

Mersing District Council have started to produce their own newsletter on sustainable tourism, as part of its 5-year Sustainable Travel Mersing (STM) campaign

The number of hotel guests in Perak dropped to just 488,000 people in 2020, compared to 1.3 million in 2019. International tourists dropped by 64.3% YoY to 52,000

Perak will launch 2 new tourism products after the MCO has finished, the state Tourism Committee has said. They will launch The Maze@TT5 and Datuk Lat’s house and gallery in Batu Gajah. They will also continue their #TravelPerakLah campaign to boost tourism. They will also launch a virtual run which will take place over 12 locations in Perak

The National Union of Hotel, Bar and Restaurant Workers Peninsular Malaysia have said that its 8,000 members are in distress, not receiving salaries on time or forced to take unpaid leave. They have said they are saddened that the government did not include them in the financial stimulus packages

Two more districts in Sarawak, Song and Kapit, will be under MCO from 2-14 Feb

Johor state wants the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) agreement between Malaysia-Singapore to continue

The World Islamic Tourism Council called for Malaysian tourism stakeholders to start thinking about how to integrate Muslim friendly facilities into their offerings

MATTA have said that Sabah’s tourism will be reliant on travellers from Peninsular Malaysia, and that Sabah tourism stakeholders need to focus on FITs, as well as aspirational travel and ecotourism

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta)have criticised the newly launched National Tourism Plan launched in Dec, saying that it does not address many of the issues in the industry, nor give a clear plan to reinvigorate the tourism industry. They also said there was no formal consultation with key industry leaders to create such a document

The Reciprocal Green Lane arrangements with Malaysia, Germany and South Korea will be suspended for 3 months from 1 Feb, due to the high case numbers

The Malaysian Association of Hotels Johor Bahru has said that the news of Penang hotels closing has “sent chill waves”, but “it comes as no surprise.”

LokaLocal are successfully running their VR platform, launching 160 virtual tours across Malaysia and different tourism sectors

Moody’s rating agency affirmed that Malaysia will keep its A3 rating, with a stable outlook

All businesses which are allowed to operate under the MCO will be permitted to stay open until 10pm

Shangri-La Hotels Malaysia has offered a voluntary separation scheme (VSS) for the Golden Sands Resort as well as the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang in Batu Ferringhi, Penang

Tourism Selangor has been criticised by environmentalists after sharing a video which promotes trapping birds

The SME Association of Malaysia has urged the government not to implement a full lockdown, and instead implement strict measures and tracing systems for those undergoing home quarantine

Sarawak has extended the MCO on Sibu division and the CMCO across the whole state until 14 Feb

MCO 2.0 will pose further challenges for the SME tourism sector, the government’s chief statistician has said

Chinese New Year will have its own set of restrictions, with a maximum of 20 people gathering together likely to be the cap, and no interstate travel

The Association of Ex-Staff of Tourism Malaysia (AESTOM) has urged the government to restore the operational autonomy of Tourism Malaysia’s Board, and ensure there is representation from all areas of the industry

The Association of Ex-Staff of Tourism Malaysia (AESTOM) has urged the government to restore the operational autonomy of Tourism Malaysia’s Board, and ensure there is representation from all areas of the industry

A new online hotel booking platform, JustTonite, has launched in Malaysia, specialising in last-minute bookings to help the industry dispose of inventory

Johor has been told that they can bring up the issue of vaccinated Malaysians working in Singapore being exempted from quarantine on their return to Malaysia

Tourism Malaysia have launched a new campaign in Canada, ‘Book Now Travel Later, Malaysia Awaits You’

The former Finance Minister has said that the government does not understand the critical state that the tourism industry is in and that the government’s predicted occupancy rates of 58.4% are absurd

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang have said the closure of the Hotel Equatorial Penang is just the start of hotel closures on the island, and "if this goes on any longer, it is only a matter of time before more hotels cease operations.” Hotels are reporting just 2-4% occupancy rates

Only 50% of Malaysian workers have come back to Singapore for work since the borders reopened 5 months ago

The Health Ministry is aiming to complete vaccination by the end of this year or early 2022. The first phase in March-May would include 500,000 vaccines for frontline workers

The Malaysian Budget Hotel Association (Mybha) have said that budget hotels are willing to be turned into low-risk quarantine centres, allowing the authorities to monitor patients as well as generate income for hotels

The 5* Equatorial Hotel Penang will close permanently by 31 Mar

EuroCham have warned its members that the government is considering a total economic shutdown if the cases are not starting to be under control by 4 Feb

EuroCham have denied that the government is considering a complete lockdown, and that the leaked memo was designed for members only

Kedah Tourism have said that they will continue tourism promotion through social media despite the MCO. They have observed that visits to Baling and Yan districts in the state increase “tremendously” every time inter-district travel is permitted

The decision to allow only SPM and STM students back to school in areas under MCO is “balanced”, making up around 20% of the student population

Tourism and creative businesses in Penang can now apply for funding assistance through PEKA 2.1

Government linked companies who own hotels are being encouraged to open them for use as quarantine hotels

More sectors will be considered essential services in states under MCO, including film editing and e-commerce

There were queues at the Singapore-Malaysia border after the mandatory tests were imposed by Singapore for entry

Tourism Malaysia participated in a Southeast Asia Virtual Roadshow organised by AVIAREPS, with 4 booths representing DMCs, hotels and theme parks

Melaka state government wants to regulate condominiums being turned into Airbnbs, hoping that upcoming projects will be required to be focused solely on residential purposes

Malaysians working in Singapore are still permitted to return to Malaysia under the PCA, but must undergo quarantine on arrival back to Singapore

Malaysia has extended its MCO until 4 Feb for Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan, Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Kelantan and Sabah, to align the timelines nationwide

The Health Ministry is aiming to increase its testing capabilities to 150,000/ day

Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau held its 4th Annual Penang Roadshow in India for Chennai travel agents on 20 Jan virtually

The Bumiputera Tourism Operators Association of Malaysia (Bumitra Malaysia) have appealed to the government to extend the PERMAI package, including a more robust wage subsidy scheme and a loan repayment moratorium

Sarawak has ordered all social events and gatherings to stop, after a triple digit increase

The Sabah Tourist Association has said that the PERMAI package does nothing to assist their members and called for a review

All states except for Sarawak will be put under the Movement Control Order from 22 Jan to 4 Feb

The Malaysia Budget Hotel Association have said that the PERMAI package is not sufficient, and the Malaysian Association of Hotels has said that it “fell short of the industry’s expectations”

Melaka Tourism Business Club is concerned that undocumented migrant workers are coming into the state

The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers’ (MACEOS) has criticised the government’s new PERMAI package, saying that it was “not enough”. They called instead for wage subsidies up to 50%, and believe that many business events industry companies are “on the brink of winding up”

The Finance Ministry has said that the government expects to lose RM600 million daily during MCO 2.0, as opposed to the RM2.4 billion daily from Mar-May 2020. They are maintaining their GDP forecast for 2021

The PM unveiled a new financial assistance program, PERMAI, worth RM15 billion. Key initiatives for the tourism industry include: • Banks to continue to offer loan moratoriums • One-off RM500 grant to 14,000 tourist guides • Discount of 10% on electricity bills from Jan-Mar 2021 for 6 business sectors, including hotel operators, theme parks, convention centres, shopping malls, local airline offices as well as travel and tour agencies

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and culture are planning to submit a proposal for “Malaysian breakfast” to be included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list

Under PERMAI, The Wage Subsidy Programme 3.0 will be improved, with all employers in MCO areas eligible to apply, regardless of the sector. Employers can receive a RM600 subsidy for each employee earning less than RM4,000 for one month. The government will also speed up the implementation of microcredit schemes

Seremban and Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan will be under MCO from 19 Jan to 1 Feb

The Malaysian Tourist Guides Council have called for more to be done to support tour guides, although it welcomes the one-off RM500 gesture from the government

The Sarawak Tourism Board have launched Sarawakian themed ang pow packets for Chinese New Year, featuring buffalo racing at the traditional Babulang festival

The Malaysia Budget Hotels Association has demanded fast action from the government to assist tourism players, with increased wage subsidies and tax incentives

Malaysia hit a new record daily case high of 4,029

Sarawak will place 11 of its 12 districts under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 18 Jan for 2 weeks after an increase in cases

The Malaysia Budget Hotels Association is asking the government for fast support to help their members and all tourism businesses impacted by the MCO

Kelantan state and Sibu in Sarawak will be put under MCO from 16-26 Jan

Penang signed an agreement to start works on an underwater tunnel between the island and the mainland, which is expected to start on 1 Feb and be completed by 3 Jan 2025

The Penang tourism industry has appealed for more financial aid, to ensure that companies “survive”. The Association of Tourist Attractions Penang (ATAP) reminded the government that a collapse of Penang’s tourism industry would be devastating, spilling over into other parts of the economy

AirAsia is aiming for 50% of its revenue by 2024 to come from non-aviation sources

Malaysia hit a new record daily case high of 3,337

Japan has suspended its Business Track and Residence Track programs to allow overseas business travellers to visit the country, including from Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

The Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee have proposed a 6-month moratorium on repayment of its Skim Peka 2.0, a Penang Business Continuity Zero Interest Loan given to Penang tourism businesses in 2020

MAH has said that the hotel industry is set to lose RM300 million in revenue for every 2 weeks of MCO. They warned that a tipping point for the survival of hotels could be the end of Mar, when the wage subsidy is set to end. Occupancy rates peaked at 43% in 2020, with the average rate at just 27.5%, with a revenue loss of RM6.53 billion in 2020

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) have called for an extension to the wage subsidy schemes and loan moratorium until 30 Jun 2021, reliefs on rental, insurance and statutory licensing fees. They said more than 5,000 tourism businesses are now “in the ICU condition” and policy change is needed to provide flexibility and remove overlapping jurisdictions from multiple government agencies

HCBC forecasts that Malaysia’s GDP will grow at 6.7% in 2021, and that the Ringgit will strengthen against the USD

The Malaysian PM has been criticised for imposing a state of emergency in Malaysia

Langkawi hotels have reported bookings dropping by as much as 60%, and 100% of hotel bookings cancelled for the Chinese New Year period. The Langkawi Tourism Association said that the majority of Langkawi’s business is generated from the 6 states under MCO. They also believe that the tourism industry could lose RM120 million from the restrictions imposed

Economists have said that the decision to reimpose MCO will “dent the Malaysian economy significantly”

A fire at the Andaman Resort in Langkawi has been brought under control, with extensive damage

Resorts World Genting has forecast a decline in visitors due to the MCO, and will be operating at a lower capacity than usual

Gordon Ramsay will open his first restaurant in Malaysia at the Sunway Resort Kuala Lumpur

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) said that the MCO will re-impact the tourism industry once more, and hopes for government assistance

The Reciprocal Green Lane and Periodic Commuting Arrangement with Singapore will continue during the MCO period

Malaysia’s business associations are asking for similar government assistance as was implemented during March 2020’s MCO, to assist with the new one in 2021

The Malaysian PM has declared a state of emergency, which will last until either 1 August or as long as it takes to control COVID-19. He reassured the public that this “is not a military coup”. It will prevent a general election from being called

The MAH has said that hotels will lose all revenue streams with the new implementation of MCO across the country, and called for a wage subsidy from the government for 50% for those with salaries below RM4,000 and 30% for those up to RM8,000. It has also said that 6% of hospitality workers have been made redundant since last year, which others have had paycuts or are on unpaid leave

Perak believes that it can attract 5 million domestic tourists in 2021 once the travel restrictions are lifted

MICE activities will be banned even in states under the CMCO

The government is looking at introducing more financial stimulus to support people impacted by MCO 2.0

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre has launched studios which can handle hybrid virtual-physical events

As of 11 Dec, only 245 SMEs have claimed RM49.9 million from the PENJANA Tourism Financing fund of RM1 billion

The number of unemployed increased by 4.8% YoY in Nov, to 764,400 people

Malaysia will impose new, stricter lockdowns on 5 states and 3 federal territories, reverting to the Movement Control Order (MCO) conditions: Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Johor, Penang, Selangor, Sabah, Labuan and Putrajaya. It will be applied from 13-26 Jan. Pahang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan will be under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), whilst Perlis and Sarawak will be under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). The lockdown restrictions were imposed due to rising case and death numbers

No interstate travel nationwide will be permitted during the MCO, as well as activities with mass gatherings, meetings, seminars and group sports activities. Inter-distict travel in states under MCO will also not be permitted. Restaurants will be permitted to operate takeaway services only

Only 5 sectors will be allowed to operate during the MCO: factories and manufacturing, construction, services, trades and distribution, and plantation and commodities

Inter-state and inter-district travel restrictions could be implemented once more to control the spread of COVID-19

The government will announce new measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 on Monday 11 Jan

Malaysian citizens with Permanent Resident status in Singapore are now eligible to use the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) between the 2 countries from 11 Jan

The Keningau Tourism and Culture Association in Sabah has been created to promote the tourism sector and introduce new products

The Housing Ministry has allocated RM8.9 million for the upgrading of tourism facilities in Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor. They will focus on small-scale projects, and plan to upgrade recreational areas in Port Dickson, a popular beach tourism area

88 tourism companies were certified by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) with the Certificate of Compliance COVID-19 Adopt and Adhere Guidelines and relevant government standard operating procedure (SOP) by the end of 2020

The EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned that a second strict lockdown could lead to the collapse of the economy, with the closure of many businesses

50,000 people have been evacuated and 6 have died due to monsoon rains on Malaysia’s east coast

Penang’s Thaipusam celebrations have been cancelled for the first time in a century

Sarawak is looking at opening up a trade and tourism office in Brunei Darassalam

YouTrip, a mobile multi-currency wallet, is looking to expand into Malaysia in the next 6-12 months, in partnership with Visa. It sees a $12 billion USD outbound market in 2021

79 tourists who were stranded in Taman Negara National Park due to rising flood waters since the end of Dec have now been rescued

Malaysia hit a new record high of cases, at 3,027

Spending more quality time with loved ones is what Malaysians are most looking forward to for travel in 2021, according to a new survey from Agoda. Travelling at a slower pace is also important

Malaysia’s health director-general is calling for targeted lockdowns as the health system is near “breaking point”, and expect cases to continue to spike over the coming weeks

The Grand Hyatt has launched The Grand Getaway, a plane themed dining experience, where passengers “board”, check in luggage and even walk through a mock Kuala Lumpur International Airport

An Ipsos survey has shown that 82% of Malaysians believe that 2021 will be better than 2020

Vaccination will not be mandatory in Malaysia

The Ministry of Tourism has suggested that the Kaamatan, Sabah’s Harvest Festival, and Gawai, Sarawak’s Harvest Festival, are added to the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia itinerary as a major festival, to promote unity

The Melaka Horror House, a new tourist attraction, is set to open in May and attract 300,000 visitors every year

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) expects hotel occupancy to peak over Chinese New Year and other festive periods, but that it would remain around 20-30% for Q1 2021. However, it would be higher at tourism destinations such as islands and beach resorts

The Malaysia Association Tour Agency (Mata) is calling for the borders to reopen, saying that the country is “ready to welcome tourists from green zone countries”, whilst the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that the government needs to look into standardising protocols with targeted countries

The Business Events Council Malaysia has said that the government allocations to the Meet in Malaysia campaign will not be sufficient to help the industry supply chain, and is calling for a reduction in utility costs, tax breaks and ease licensing requirements. The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers has also said that business events businesses have seen losses of RM2.25 billion, a drop of 90%, since the MCO was implemented in Mar, with 5,619 employees laid off

Sarawak’s inbound tourists in 2020 were just 1.2 million, down 71% YoY. The State Tourism Board is encouraging tour operators to look at Siasitok, a campaign to encourage Sarawak tourism to Sarawakians, with discounts of up to 50%. They also have urged tour operators to look at inbound tours, rather than outbound, and promote Sibu as a gateway to the central region

More than 6,500 people have been evacuated due to heavy flooding in Johor state

Malaysia and Singapore are in talks on standardising protocols for those who need to travel between the 2 countries on compassionate grounds

Central Terengganu is targeting to receive 1 million visitors for Visit Kenyir Year 2021

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) have welcomed the cancellation of the High-Speed Rail link between Singapore-Kuala Lumpur, saying that if it had been implemented, Malaysia’s airports and cruise ports would have been “feeder providers”

All educational institutes should reopen according to the academic calendar on 20 Jan, the government has reassured, even in those areas still under the CMCO

Penang government plan to focus on domestic tourism for H1 2021, including family-oriented holidays, eco-tourism and creative cultural tourism

Tourism Malaysia have launched a “Leisure at the Zoo” stimulus campaign with discounted tickets for selected zoo attractions until 31 Mar

The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) has been extended until 31 Mar

The Health Ministry has said that around one third of Malaysians polled are afraid of the vaccine

Sarawak is looking at creating Bau into an ecotourism destination

The Tourism Minister has said that 2021 will be the year to support Malaysia’s economic recovery through domestic tourism, calling for Malaysians to explore

Tourism Malaysia, Shopee and the Malaysian Association of Hotels have launched their new joint campaign, PRE1.0 “Jom Cuti-Cuti Malaysia! Experience Malaysia Like Never Before”. It will run from 31 Dec-31 Mar, with e-vouchers available of RM50 for 3D2N stay at 1-3* hotels, and RM100 for a 3D2N stay at 4-5* hotels

Malaysia will intensify its efforts to develop vaccines with the UAE

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) have said that the country must create new strategies to develop tourism products, promote digitalisation, infrastructure development and incentives for domestic and foreign travel plans. They also hope the government will encourage locally developed industry online platforms to book travel products, rather than foreign platforms

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) are confident that the government’s new tourism strategy for 2020-2030 will help “uplift” Malaysia’s image and that the incorporation of healthcare tourism into investment zones would generate higher income for the country. They will embark on 3 initiatives: raising Malaysia’s profile as a World Healthcare Marvel, strengthen the country’s position as the fertility and cardiology centre of Asia and work with selected hospitals to become landmarks of world-class healthcare

The National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 is expected to drive rural tourism in Sabah, the Mesilou Atamis Homestay Association has said. The Coalition of Sabah Rural Tourism Association also said that the human resources side of the policy would held to produce highly skilled workers, but the quality of infrastructure in Sabah must be improved

Online Service providers of accommodation bookings must register with the Malaysian Tourism Tax System before Jul 2021. The government expects this tax to generate between RM21-46 million in tourism tax

The Kuala Lumpur International Logistics and Transportation (KiLAT) 2020 exhibition has been postponed once more to 5-7 Oct 2021. LIMA 2021 has also been rescheduled to 2023

South Korea have said “when the Malaysian side is ready, a travel bubble can be implemented immediately,” for officials and businessmen

The government has reconfirmed that it cannot prevent overseas Malaysians returning home from countries which have seen the transmission of the new COVID-19 strain

Genting Malaysia will focus on the completion of its new outdoor theme park, Genting Skyworlds, for mid-2021 opening, whilst Malaysia Airlines has said that it will focus on assisting vaccine distribution, reconnect global economies and revitalises businesses in 2021

The Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Sabah, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur has been extended until 14 Jan. Some subdistricts of Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Johor Bahru have also been extended until 14 Jan

Tourism Malaysia expects hotel occupancy rates to increase once the RMCO is lifted – they are targeting an increase of 20%

The Tourism Ministry continues to look at negotiating travel bubbles with green zone countries such as Singapore, Brunei, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and New Zealand

Melaka looks to introduce seaplanes in 2021, with an investment of around RM500 million. The State Tourism Committee have also said that new products will be introduced to attract domestic and foreign tourists. Arrivals to Melaka over the last 2 weeks has increased

Ipoh City Council is aiming to make Ipoh one of the most attractive destinations in Malaysia by 2025. They are focusing on the 3 Hs: hipster, heritage and health

Malaysia recorded its highest number of daily cases, 2,335

Malaysian travel agents have asked the government to negotiate on haj charges, saying that previously it cost RM30,000 but now it might be up to RM80,000 per pax due to restrictions on the number of pilgrims sharing a hotel room

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has seem a spike in hotel bookings over Christmas and the New Year, with an expected occupancy rate of 50-60%

Perak state has allocated RM10 million for tourism, with RM4.4 million used to upgrade infrastructure of products. 300 tour guides would receive RM700 each, whilst travel agents would receive RM2,000 to help create packages to promote Perak. They will also make one-off payments of RM10,000 to 12 associations and NGOs to stimulate the industry

Attractions in Penang are starting to see an increase in visitors over the year-end, with The Habitat seeing over 200 a day vs 50 during the CMCO period, and Penang Hill to 3,000 during weekends, from 1,500

The Department of Statistics Malaysia forecasts that Malaysia’s economy will continue to recover in early 2021

Tourism operators and tour guides will be given a discount of up to 40% to pay any fines until 30 Jun

Malaysia has launched its National Tourism Policy (DPN) 2020-2030. It includes 6 key areas, including: governance transformation, creating an inclusive tourism investment zone and intensifying tourism digitisation, enriching the experience and satisfaction of tourists, strengthening commitment to sustainable tourism, and increasing the capacity of human capital in all tourism sub-sectors. Technology-based tourism investment will be encouraged, and the government is looking at establishing Special Tourism Investment Zones for tourism products. Their target is for Malaysia to be the ‘Top of Mind Ecotourism Destination of the World’

A new campaign Safe2Spa Jom Spa, has been launched by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to help the local spa industry recover, with 10,000 discount vouchers worth RM30 each distributed to customers

The Ministry of Tourism hopes all tourism stakeholders will join together to strengthen Malaysia as a top tourism destination through the National Tourism Policy (DPN) 2020-2030. Malaysia will prioritise quality tourists, and position the country as an eco-tourism destination

Malaysia’s plan for “cruises to nowhere” is on hold, with Penang Port saying that its proposal submitted in Sep is still awaiting approval, with no movement any time soon. They have said that 64% of the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal’s 1.16 million pax in 2019 were from the “cruise to nowhere” packages offered by Leisure World and Oriental Dragon cruise ships

The government has seen the retail sector starting to recover, as well as hotel occupancy rates grow to 23.4% since the CMCO was lifted in the majority of the country and interstate travel was permitted once more

International students will be allowed entry into Malaysia from 1 Jan, except for those from the UK

The government has said that it is still not the right time to open Malaysia’s borders, even to “green zone” countries

Penang has launched a new campaign, “Experience it all in Penang, responsibly”, to attract domestic tourists, comparing 14 local tourist attractions to international ones

Sabah tourist attractions can reopen at 50% capacity. MICE and weddings and celebrations are also allowed at 50% of the room capacity

The relaxation of regulatory requirements for tourism businesses, such as the size of the premises and permission to conduct other businesses in their premises, has been extended until 30 Jun

Sabah has continued to promote itself for tourism in 2020 through the online MATTA Fair, MITA e-Travel Fair, fam trips for bloggers, media and travel agents and digital campaigns

The exemption period for licence renewal fees and additional licences for tourism businesses has been extended from 1 Jan-30 Jun 2021

The Pillars of Sabah 3.0 art project will be another tourism product for Kota Kinabalu

Kuala Lumpur will not have its usual New Year’s countdown

The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) will launch its 10-year strategy for 2021-2030, with 3 strategic pillars: optimisation, foresight and competitiveness

The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is drawing up a plan to allow delegations from neighbouring countries to enter Malaysia for business events, including Singaporeans in Desaru, Thais in Langkawi and Bruneians to Sabah and Sarawak

Sabah is putting emphasis on rural tourism in its state budget, allocating RM17.2 million for its development, an “unprecedented” amount

Prasarana Malaysia has launched a My30 Plus 30, Buy 1, Free 1 Package, an unlimited travel pass for travel throughout Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding area for just RM30 per month

Sabah expects 1.3 million tourist arrivals in 2021, generating RM2.51 billion. This is conditional on the borders being reopened. The state government is allocating RM227.97 million to fund the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah and stimulate growth

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that bookings are increasing again at resort hotels and beach areas, but bookings in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are still low. They are looking at average Dec hotel occupancy levels of 30% nationwide, with the last week of Dec reaching 50-60%. The Sarawak Tourism Federation has said that hotels in the state are struggling, as hotels which are quarantine hotels are not allowed to receive guests, and in Kuching, nearly all hotels are quarantine hotels

Kelantan state has had 456 evacuees after flooding in the state

The government should conclude a negotiation with AstraZeneca on 21 Dec to purchase enough vaccine for 20% of the population. This now brings the total to 50% of population covered, and they will try to get all vaccine supplies in Q1 2021

The Former finance minister has said that the Malaysian tourism industry can’t expect to recover from its RM100 billion losses without direct assistance, and that he thought the numbers did not reflect the full devastation of the industry. He also said that “false” projections of high hotel occupancy levels are downplaying the severity of the situation. He urged the government to expand the wage subsidy scheme, extend loan moratorium payments and offer a RM10 billion credit line to them

Langkawi Development Authority have seen encouraging hotel bookings for the year-end, with 27 flights arriving on the 18 Dec, and 23 on the 19 Dec

Zoo Negara has reopened, but will operate at reduced capacity

Google has said that drops to retail and recreational locations in KL dropped by 36% vs the baseline between early Nov – mid-Dec, from its mobility trends data

Tourism and cultural sectors under CMCO will be permitted to reopen from 19 Dec, including MICE, tourism products, cultural and heritage exhibitions, theme parks, family entertainment centres and indoor playgrounds. Visitors are limited to 50% capacity. Water sports and recreation sectors would in principle be opened from Jan 2021

The Conditional Movement Control Order in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Seremban and Sabah will be extended until 31 Dec, with just 3 areas exempted

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and Bureau Veritas Malaysia have signed a “Travel Safe Malaysia” Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label, to position Malaysia as a safe country. It will be supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and offered to all MATTA members

The Wangchuan (wangkang) ceremony and related practices have been inscribed into the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list after a joint nomination by China and Malaysia. Pantun, a type of Malay poem, has also been listed

Penang has welcomed the government’s decision to allow its ferries to remain in service, after it had been announced that the ferries would be grounded from 1 Jan 2021 until refurbishment of the terminal is completed by 2022

TruTrip have said that over 6 million Malaysians have travelled since Apr

Selangor is launching a new campaign, “Nak Bercuti? Pusing Selangor Dulu!” (Want to go for a holiday? Explore Selangor first!) to promote tourism. The tourism vouchers will be available though Touch ‘n Go and Lazada e-wallets from 8-31 Jan. 10,000 tourism vouchers worth RM200 will be available, with 3,000 Selangor frontliners will receive a RM200 tourism package voucher in 2021, part of its Selangor Tourism Voucher subsidy programme. The state expects 5 million tourists in 2021

Mt Kinabalu is expecting to receive more visitors over the year-end, based on forward bookings. Only 10% of its current 450 mountain guides are working

Spiritual tour packages could be introduced in Melaka, the Chief Minister has suggested

Penang is calling for the government to designate it a duty-free island once more, to attract tourists

The Malaysian 2021 budget has been passed in Parliament, after doubts whether it would pass at all

A senior minister has said that Malaysians have to “accept the reality that we have to live with Covid-19”

The Deputy Transport Minister has said that airlines might take 3 years to recover completely

Tourism Malaysia have launched the first Malaysia Truly Asia ASEAN Virtual Hunt 2020, virtually connecting 30 teams of media reps from 9 SE Asian countries who will use Zoom for a virtual treasure hunt around Malaysia

Kedah is promoting itself through an influencers’ roadtrip through the state. It has also seen an increase in the number of tourists, particularly those from Penang

Those returning to Sarawak from overseas will be permitted to undergo a 10 day quarantine at stipulated facilities, and will then be able to self-isolate at home until the 14th day

The inaugural Melaka Golf Championship will take place on 18 Dec, sponsored by Tourism Melaka. It hopes to showcase the potential of the state

The PM has suggested that a group farming vegetable in Sengkang set up an agrotourism centre

Melaka has had heavy traffic congestion since 11 Dec, with tourists entering the city, something that the Melaka chapter of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is thankful for, but acknowledge it is still a long way to recovery

The Ministry of Housing received RM50 million to upgrade infrastructures in areas that could be developed for rural tourism

The quarantine period for those entering Malaysia will be shortened from 14 to 10 days

The government has said that it will not rush the vaccines through “emergency use” approval

Endau Rompin Johor National Park will be nominated as an ASEAN Heritage Park

Sarawak has said that it has only welcomed 1.1 million visitors from Jan-Nov, a 71.5% YoY drop in arrivals. Its Nov arrivals alone were just 13,362 tourist arrivals, down 95.8% YoY

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that the government needs to extend electricity discounts for the tourism industry, as well as increase a targeted wage subsidy. Hotel occupancy peaked for the National Day holiday in Aug at 42%, stabilised to 39% in Sep and is now at 20%

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council are aiming to achieve medical tourism revenue of RM1 billion in the next 2-3 years – it’s original target for 2020 was RM2 billion

Sabah state’s COVID-19 spokesperson has said that it will take a big effort to restart the state’s tourism, even once vaccines are available

Analysts expect Malaysia’s unemployment rate to be around 4.3% in 2020

Malaysia’s unemployment increased to 4.7% in Oct, up 0.1% from Sep

Visitors to Terengganu state from red zones should contact health authorities for a risk assessment

Tourists who book accommodation online may be charged tourism tax, in a proposed amendment to the Tourism Tax regulations. This would be levied on any accommodation made available through online bookings and digital service providers

The government has said that everyone must have universal access to an affordable, accessible and equitable vaccine

MATTA has urged other states to follow Sabah’s example with financial relief for tourism SMEs. Sabah have allocated RM2 million to be given to 503 licensed travel and tour companies, each receiving RM4,000 one-off assistance

The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is confident that its “Meet in Malaysia Campaign” will encourage the tourism industry

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry will launch short term initiatives to boost domestic tourism, including e-vouchers and rebates. They will also promote lesser known destinations, and undertake media promotion

The federal government will discuss with the Sarawak state government the necessity of Sarawak’s policy to quarantine any arriving from peninsula Malaysia

99,969 Malaysians have been made redundant since the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) until 27 Nov

Melaka tourism products will be sold on Shopee and Lazada, hoping to boost sales

The annual RISE Conference, focusing on startup, will be held in Malaysia from 2022-2024, with an anticipated RM500 million boost to the local economy

The National Security Council is in talks with the Ministry of Tourism to reopen tourism attractions, and are awaiting the latter’s suggestions of which parts of the industry should be reopened

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) is hoping that locals will reinstate their holiday plans and take advantage of special deals by their members. They also plan to collaborate with Tourism Malaysia through online platform Shopee, for Malaysians to book hotel deals with special vouchers, expected to be live by end Dec

The Ministry of Tourism is looking at travel bubbles with green zone countries, and are identifying mechanisms to reopen travel in a safe manner. They include small group special interest tours, such as golf, diving or hiking, and travel itineraries would need to be approved by the authorities, and arrangements made through licensed travel agents

People who book quarantine hotels through MyEG Services, the government’s digital services provider, are now being charged RM15 fee

MATTA have said that tour packages sold by its members will include airfares, ground arrangements, and if necessary, COVID-19 testing and private dining arrangements from peninsula Malaysia to Sabah and Sarawak

InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) will triple the number of hotels in Malaysia over the next 5 years, from 4 to 14

Malaysia hopes that Brunei will consider its proposal of a reciprocal green lane

MATTA have praised the government’s decision to allow interstate travel, as it coincides with the year-end peak travel season

Sarawak tourism businesses have not yet received the state government’s grant of RM20,000, despite it being 5 months since the scheme was announced

Domestic travellers to Labuan must have a negative test result at least 3 days prior to departure

Malaysia’s international arrivals from Jan-Sep were -78.6% YoY, with just 4.29 million. Tourism receipts also dropped by -80.9% YoY to RM12.6 billion

Penang tourism organisations greeted the news that Penang will have its CMCO lifted on 7 Dec positively. Hotels are now waiting for protocols on year-end celebrations and whether there will be a maximum of 250 imposed, or if it would be according to venue capacity

The government has extended the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, Johor Bahru and the majority of Sabah state until 20 Dec. However, they have now ended the CMCO for Putrajaya, Labuan and Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan (except certain districts). The government said that if the CMCO continued, Malaysia’s GDP would lose RM300 million per day. Inter-district and interstate travel will also be permitted, but the government is still looking at what tourism activities will be allowed

Domestic tourism is permitted again in Sabah, with water activities such as jet skiing and canoeing allowed at 50% capacity

Mt Kinabalu has now been reopened for climbing activities from 7 Dec, but at 50% capacity

Sabah tourism businesses are anticipating more bookings as the interstate and inter-district travel restrictions have been lifted. The Sabah Tourist Association have said that this will allow income for tourist-related sectors, but they are still unsure whether people in Sabah would travel that much, whilst other states may feel hesitant to visit Sabah as it is still a red zone

The government will discuss the issue of working from home for those states under CMCO on 7 Dec, as well as which tourism activities should be permitted

Malaysia has hit the 70,000 cases mark

The My30 campaign by Tourism Malaysia and Prasarana Malaysia, which was scheduled to start on 7 Dec, has been postponed due to the CMCO in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Its aim was to encourage the public to take trains and buses using the Rapid KL network

Sabah will reopen its state borders, allowing social visits from Malaysians, long-term immigrant pass holders and family members of resident Sabahans ahead of Christmas. Visitors to the state will need to undergo an RT-PCR or antigen test 3 days before travel

The Youth and Sports Ministry are looking into sports bubbles, to ensure that international championships can still take place in 2021

The government is currently evaluating the quarantine length of 14 days, to see if international flyers could have it shortened to 12 or 10 days

Johor dropped ranks from third to seventh place as a tourist destination between 2016 to 2018. Consequently, Tourism Johor will now focus on promotion and marketing, with the first phase focusing on domestic tourism, whilst the second will be on international tourists. They plan to have media fam trips, use social media, KOLs and produce more multilingual videos and articles

The Human Resources Ministry have said that 99,696 workers have lost jobs between Jan – 27 Nov

Malaysia has been named the top ranked country for Muslim Friendly Travel, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/2021

13 hotels in Johor have now stopped operations

75% of Malaysian businesses only expect to return to pre-pandemic profitability by the end of 2022 in a new HSBC survey

Scuba diving in Sabah has been permitted once more, to stimulate the tourism industry and allow some recreational activities. Operators must still ensure social distancing and a maximum of 30% boat capacity

AirAsia is launching 8 new domestic routes, including Langkawi-Ipoh, Langkawi-Kota Baru, Johor Baru-Bintulu, Johor Bahru-Kota Baru, Penang-Sibu, Penang-Kota Baru and Kuching-Langkawi

The Malaysia Tourism Council have said that more than 70% of tourism workers will lose their jobs if borders are not reopened in 6 months. They estimate that around 50% have been retrenched currently

Kota Kinabalu’s sunsets were recently mentioned as some of the most beautiful in the world in a recent K-drama, leading the tourism minister to believe there will be an influx of Korean tourists once borders reopen

The PM has said that he will call for a general election once the pandemic is over

Sabah will apply for UNESCO Geopark status for the Kinabalu Park, hoping that they could obtain this by end 2021

Kuching lifted its CMCO on 27 Nov

The Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) has said that they will take the lead in developing new tourism products, including building new hotels and upgrades to the existing ones. They also plan to invest in the Damai peninsula to create a major tourism destination, which will include resorts, theme parks, cable cars, jungle trails and a marine, costing around RM4 billion

The Malaysia-Singapore border reopening will be delayed due to the rise in cases in Malaysia, the Johor government has said

Negeri Sembilan state has allocated RM2.693 million for tourism events

Business prospects are forecast to be pessimistic in Q4, but better than previous quarters, according to a report from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM)

The mandatory 14-day quarantine period for domestic travellers from Sabah to Peninsular Malaysia has been removed

Malaysia will impose mandatory screening for 1.7 million foreign workers

Malaysia’s Budget 2021 was passed in Parliament, and will now move to a third and final reading to be approved, despite anxiety that the opposition would not support the budget

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) does not believe that the 2021 Budget will help the tourism industry, saying that “domestic tourism is not the main solution to assist our fledgling tourism industry which is now at its lowest”

The Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara has said that the profile of medical tourists arriving into Malaysia in 2020 has changed – previously it was fertility treatments, now it is for critical procedures such as brain or cardiovascular surgery. The Penang Adventist Hospital has created digital solutions for teleconsultations for patients

Malaysia has seen a record number of cases for 2 days in a row, with a high of 2,188 cases recorded, mainly due to a cluster linked to factory workers

The Ministry of Health would allow for a shortened quarantine period than the current 14-days, but individuals would need proper screening and consideration depending on the circumstance

The government has received 478 applications from tourism SMEs for the Penjana Tourism Financing Scheme, with 208 applications approved to the value of RM41.8 million

News of the Green Zone Domestic Travel Bubble will help support Sarawak’s tourism industry, the Sarawak State Minister for Tourism has said

Malaysia and Singapore continue to negotiate on the protocols for Malaysians who commute regularly to Singapore

The government is looking at the need to extend the CMCO until the end of the year

Malaysia’s job market will be better in Q4, according to the Institute of Labour Marketing Information and Analysis

The Malaysian government will get input from the National Security Council and the Health Ministry on whether to allow Muslims to perform umrah and haj

The government will support the idea of developing a jade eco-tourism spot near Mt Kinabalu

The Tourism, Arts & Culture Ministry (MOTAC) have said that their plan is to restore travel confidence, revive domestic tourism and maximise current resources. They will focus on collaboration with airlines, tourism businesses and non-government associations, and plan vouchers, discounts and cash rebates. Tourism Malaysia will collaborate with industry players to boost demand for inter and intra state travel, increase the use of public transport, and collaborate with Karyaneka, to offer discounts on Malaysian crafts. They also encouraged Malaysians to take advantage of being able to travel between green zones for domestic travel, and that they should book their plans via licensed travel companies, as they would be able to arrange for a movement permit directly with the police

204 tourism businesses have closed down, including 109 hotels and 95 tourism agencies

Sarawak state is looking at charter flights to connect Sarawak with Singapore and other destinations, engaging with Hornbill Skyways, but this plan would only be implemented once COVID-19 cases are “no longer prevalent”. He also thinks that the state needs its own airline to improve its connectivity to potential destinations such as Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Australia

Tourism Pahang is collaborating the Asia Brotherhood Centre (ABC) to promote the state to motorsports fans. Pahang tourism destinations will be listed in the Malaysia Local Route Pitstop, with food listings, handicrafts, homestays and agro-tourism locations. The collaboration will start with the Pahang Border Ride from 25 Dec with 60 riders touring all districts in the state

The Tourism Ministry expects that the industry will lose RM100 billion in 2020

The Malaysian Tourism Council is calling for the government to provide immediate assistance to the tourism industry

Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) is running a campaign, “Taste of Sarawak”, by offering Sarawak cuisine at local hawker stalls in Singapore

The Trade Minister sees Malaysia’s economic recovery as a U-shape, rather than V-shaped. A crucial vote on the Budget 2021 will take place next week – if the opposition does not pass it, it could lead to a vote of no-confidence in the current government

Sabah’s Scuba Junkie dive operator has won Dive Magazine’s “Best Scuba Diving Dive Centre of Resort in the World for 2020”

The Terengganu state tourism department is using online and social media marketing to promote existing products and services

The CMCO will be lifted in Johor, Kedah, Melaka and Terengganu from 21 Nov, earlier than planned, but Kelantan state will have a CMCO imposed for 2 weeks

Foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens from 23 countries which are barred from entering Malaysia will now be able to enter the country with the Immigration Department’s permission

Travel for domestic tourism will be permitted within and between states which are green zones for COVID-19 from 22 Nov. Pahang, Perlis, Teregganu and Melaka will return to green zones, as well as the majority of Kedah, Johor and Sarawak

SMEs in Sabah are calling for the Wage Subsidy Program to be expanded to minor players in the tourism industry, including traders who were linked to tourism

Selangor state will give a special RM1,000 incentive to 553 tourism players, made up of tourist guides, homestay operators and community hosts, who have had their income impacted. They also planned to introduce RM2 million for a tourism voucher scheme which will see RM200 vouchers being distributed to locals who want to travel in Selangor

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) have said that some of their members are offering outdoor cleaning services, in a desperate attempt to generate revenue

An Ipsos survey has shown that 77% of Malaysians are concerned about COVID-19, ahead of the global average of 44%, but 60% of Malaysians believe that the country is on the right track

Johor has asked for an early implementation of a 3rd border opening scheme, the Daily Commuting Arrangement (DCA) between Malaysia and Singapore, with students and teachers being prioritised. They propose that it starts with just 7,000 individuals in the early stages

The Johor City and Nature Tour Guide Association (JCNTGA) are calling fo the state government to use the down time to upskill and reskill tour guides, including ecotourism courses

The Penang state government has extended the exemption of hotel room fees by 6 months until Jun 2021

2,713 SMEs have closed down between Mar and Oct

The Tourism Ministry welcomes the idea of travel bubbles within Malaysia, saying that the SOPs are still under discussion, but that they hope it would come out quickly

Malaysia has crossed the 50,000 cases mark

Penang is looking into guidelines for short-term accommodation in residential buildings, hoping to finalise them by the year-end

Tourism stakeholders have welcomed the government’s news of possible domestic travel between green zones under CMCO being permitted, with the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) saying that “we cannot afford one-size-fits-all approaches”

Johor hotels are asking for help from the government to allow tourism activities in green zones

The Tourism Ministry has said that RM200 million should be sufficient for the tourism sector in 2021, as they had been allocated RM30 million stimulus from the 2020 budget and only spent one third of the amount

Zoo Negara has said that it only has enough emergency funds to last 3 months, and it is having difficulty meeting its operational costs of RM1 million per month

Sabah state has allocated RM15 million to stimulate tourism recovery

InterContinental Hotels Group is opening Hotel Indigo on the Park in Kuala Lumpur in 2023

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is calling for the government to intervene with credit and leasing companies to extend the loans, saying “Failure to address the issues and concerns of the tourism sector will greatly affect the intended tourism restart in the near future in 2021, and may lead some parties to conclude that the government views the industry as dead in 2021”

The Malaysia Budget Hotel Association has said that if the CMCO continues until the year-end, at least 40 budget hotels will close down and 2,000 workers laid off. They also reiterated that the financing facility was very difficult to obtain, with only 3% of its members’ submissions approved

Retailers are asking the government for individual tax exemptions of up to RM10,000 for shopping expenses and RM5,000 for tourism expenses

The Tourism Ministry announced an additional allocation of RM200 million in the Tourism Rehabilitation Plan 2021, including accommodation vouchers, tourist destination discounts, family travel package discounts and the “Meet in Malaysia” campaign

The Malaysian Association of Tour Agency (MATA) are relieved that there will be an additional allocation of RM200 million for a tourism stimulus package, and urged that it be made ASAP

Sarawak’s tourism is expected to recover to 1.4 million arrivals in 2021, with estimated tourism receipts of RM3.5 billion

The senior director of domestic and events for Tourism Malaysia has called for private-public sector collaborations focusing on domestic tourism to aid recovery

Malaysia’s GDP in Q3 contracted 2.3%, with improvements registered across major sectors. Bank Negara forecast its full-year GDP to be between -4.5 to -3.5%

The InterContinental Hotels Group remains optimistic that the tourism industry in Sabah will recover early next year, and will be opening the Holiday Inn Express Kota Kinabalu by the year end

Langkawi has maintained its UNESCO Global Geopark status for the 3rd time running

The Penang state government is asking for more measures to help the state’s tourism industry, proposing a loan moratorium extension and that tour operators and guides be exempted from paying license renewal fees until 2022

The Malaysian Association of Hotels has said that they expect a hotel occupancy rate as low as 5% due to the nationwide implementation of the CMCO, and that tourism recovery may only take place late 2021

The Travel Corporation has seen an emergence of solo bookings from the 50+ market for its products from Malaysia

A survey by Airbnb has shown that 78% of Malaysians are interested in the idea of a workcation, and 73% are looking forward to travelling within their own country

Tourism Malaysia went viral after it encouraged Singaporeans to take a “Singapoliday”, inspired by the UK Burger King ad

Many tour bus drivers have had to sell their buses and declare bankruptcy, according to the North Zone Tour Bus Operators Coalition, with more than 1,200 buses sold in the northern region

Sabah is drawing up a roadmap for tourism recovery, which will aim to protect jobs and businesses with incentives, tariffs and discounts

Airbnb welcomes the decision to include tourism tax for short-term accommodation rentals, saying that it is a fair way to raise more revenue for communities

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) is urging the government to extend the loan moratorium to help MSMEs survive

A poll of 15 economists by Reuters estimated that the Malaysian economy contracted at a slower rate in Q3, at 3.2%

A coalition of tour bus operators have lodged a police report against 5 federal ministries for ‘failing’ to help them, in a desperate bid for assistance

The JB – Singapore Rapid Transit Link may finally break ground in Nov, after a virtual launch on 22 Nov. It will connect Bukit Chegar in Johor with Woodlands in Singapore, with the ability to welcome 10,000 passengers in peak periods

The Association of Tourist Attractions Penang is calling for the government to resume some international travel with Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as medical tourism, to directly help the tourism industry

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat suffered a landslide, killing 2 guests who were staying in one of its villas

32,469 SMEs have shut down between Mar – Sep

The Health Ministry has said that if many districts’ red zones turn to green within the next 2 weeks, then they may lift the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) earlier than scheduled

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) has reiterated its call for the government to include more assistance for the tourism sector in the Budget 2021. Whilst it welcomes the assistance for aviation workers, it questions the unfairness of allocating support to just one sector of the industry

The Sabah Tourist Association is disappointed with the Budget 2021, saying that they “expect many tour agencies to retrench their workers in large numbers early next year after the wage subsidy programme ends.”

A CMCO has been implemented in Kuching district from 9-22 Nov, something which has been received with mixed reaction in the city

The Business Events Council Malaysia are disappointed that the Budget 2021 does not provide help for the MICE industry. They also urged the government to allow smaller-scale events to still take place in areas under CMCO

The Tourism Ministry reaffirmed its belief that the Budget 2021 “will help all involved in the growth of tourism, arts and culture sectors”

Malaysia’s unemployment rate dropped in Sep by 0.6% MoM to 737,500 people

Sarawak’s economy is expected to contract by 3.5-5%, with the decline in tourism affecting all sectors

All schools nationwide will close from 9 Nov until the last day of the school year on 17 Dec, including schools in those states which are not included in the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). School will resume on 20 Jan with the new school year in 2021

Melaka state is looking to relax the CMCO ban on inter-district travel, in a bid to save its tourism industry and its initiative “Melakans visit Melaka”

Selangor plans to only allocate RM5.85 million on tourism in 2021, something local industry players have criticises as too small, especially in comparison to Penang, who have allocated over RM18 million

The Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) has been extended in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor to 6 Dec. In addition, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Melaka, Johor and Terengganu will also be placed under the CMCO due to the increase of cases, leaving all but 3 states in Peninsular Malaysia which are not under CMCO

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that the government’s proposed Budget 2021 was “inadequate to empower the tourism industry”, and that it is “inevitable to see the industry contracting drastically”. They urged affected tourism workers to look for employment in other industries through the reskilling programs. The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) was also concerned about the wage subsidies of just RM600/ month, but that without more cash subsidies and a formal extension to the loan moratorium, hotels will be forced to “take drastic actions to survive.”

The Opposition have said that they may oppose the government’s Budget 2021 in Parliament, unless it includes 6 recommendations from their party

Nearly 10% of all hotels surveyed by the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) have laid off or retrenched workers, whilst almost 33% have imposed paycuts, and 44% have employees on unpaid leave. Occupancy levels are predicted to drop to 26.82% in Nov and 29.85% in Dec

The Economic Outlook 2021 report released by the Ministry of Finance has shown that hotel booking cancellations from Jan – 30 Mar were 193,000 rooms, equivalent to RM76 million in losses. They also forecast the Malaysian aviation industry will lose RM13 billion in 2020

Malaysia’s 2020 travel account is set to record a deficit for the first time since 1989, of RM10.9 billion, due to the significant drop in tourism arrivals. In 2021, it is projected to recover to RM53.5 billion

The government has allocated RM50 million for reskilling and relocation of 8,000 former aviation workers in its Budget 2021. It also announced 500 new job allocations for Orang Asli to function as tour guides in all national parks, to help ecotourism, RM50 million budget for maintenance at tourist hotspots, RM20 million for the promotion of Cultural Villages in Terengganu, Melaka, Sarawak and Negri Sembilan. The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council will also receive a RM35 million allocation. A grant of RM2,000 will also be allocated to hawker traders, tour drivers and taxi drivers in Sabah state. There will also be a 6-month exemption from levies for the Human Resources Development Fund from 1 Jan 2020

The Malaysian government will allow members of its Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to withdraw up to RM500 per month, and RM6,000 in total over 12 months

Malaysia plans to continue with its Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project, as it has a multiplier effect on the economy – but this depends on discussions with Singapore

Malaysia has released its biggest ever national budget for 2021, “Resilient As One, Together We Triumph” at RM322.54 billion, an increase of 8.6% in 2019

The government predicts that the Malaysian economy will grow between 6.5%-7.5% next year

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office (STATOS) are partnering to revive the Singaporean inbound market into the state. They plan to develop “lucrative niche tourism” to attract more Singaporeans

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry expect the Budget 2021 to enable it to assist tourism players. They will intensify technology and innovation to boost the industry, as well as prioritise tourism infrastructure, outreach and upskilling workers

Sarawak’s tourism arrivals have dropped 65% from Jan-Sep with just 1.15 million visitors, but they are optimistic that it will grow in H2 2021. Their “Sia-Sitok Sarawak” domestic campaign has so far generated RM700,000 in sales. They also plan to increase the number of homestay areas from 44 to 60 by 2030

The Kelantan state government will upgrade several locations which are attracting tourists

Former PM Dr Mahathir has said that he has ideas on how to improve Langkawi’s tourism scheme

Melaka is creating special deals to attract Johoreans to visit, as the number of visitors to the city was declining with CMCOs imposed on Kuala Lumpur and Seremban

The Human Ministry has reassured retrenched Malindo Airways workers that they will receive retrenchment benefits from the Employment Insurance System (SIP)

Malaysia’s first Café and Beverage Show will be held in Jun 2021 in Kuala Lumpur

Many Johor hotels have started to offer co-working spaces to attract those working from home, the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Johor chapter revealed

InterContinental Hotels Group will rebrand the Swiss Inn Johor Bahru as the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru from 2021

58% of Malaysians thought that their quality of life would improve in the future, despite the economic damage in survey results from Aug

Malaysia has welcomed the decision from Saudi Arabia to allow the umrah pilgrimage for 10 days

90,470 people have reported to the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) that they have lost their jobs

A small village, Kampung Pulau Tengah in Kelantan state, is seeing tourists visit it as an agrotourism destination, generating additional income for the villagers

Although Johor Bahru is now a red zone after a spike in cases, it will still continue talks with Singapore to fully reopen borders

The Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) is using its Sarawak Tourism Online Ecosystem Fund program to help tourism players. It has also launched an app, Sarawak Travel, which will cover 5 modules: Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festival, and be launched by mid-2021 with Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

The Federal Territories Minister has protected his plan for a mega project called Quran Village, set to be built in Putrajaya for RM150 million, after facing criticism on unveiling the plans. It would include a 5,000 capacity mosque, a "Quranic Science and Prophetic Biography" centre, hostel, market, arts centre and event space

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is calling for the new Budget 2021 to include funds for the tourism industry, extend the loan moratorium until Jun 2021, as well as protect jobs through a more effective wage subsidy scheme

Tourplus, a Malaysian startup who run an online marketplace which links travellers with local guides, has had a seed investment of $1 million USD

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) continues to call for the government to reopen borders with neighbouring countries in Q1 2021, to help sustain the industry

The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has forecast that it will only reach RM500 million in 2020

Sabah tourism workers will receive RM300 from the Sabah government, including guides, porters, tourist guides and divemasters as part of the RM160 million fund announced

Penang has asked for clarification if the proposed Kulim International Airport has been approved by the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC)

More than 100,000 Malaysians could have lost their jobs by the year-end according to the Social Security Organisation (Socso). Almost 10,000 people are losing their jobs on a monthly basis, and the accommodation sector is the second worst hit, with 13,053 jobs lost, accounting for 15% of total lost

The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) have developed a new economic blueprint, HELANG, which look at economic diversity, local culture and sustainability, all through the lens of safety

The Malaysian Association of Hotels has said that hotels are suffering once more with the CMCO imposed, with occupancy dropping to 30% in the week of 10 Oct, with cancellations at “almost all domestic tourist destinations”. MATTA have also confirmed cancellations from their side in the past month

There have now been more than 10,000 passengers who have used the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) between Malaysia and Singapore using the Causeway and Second Link. The RGL has counted 1,749, whilst PCA is 9,717. Just one positive case was detected under the PCA

The Chief Minister of Penang has said that the CMCO implemented in Kuala Lumpur has negatively affected Penang’s domestic tourism

Sabah has approved a RM160 million fund to help those affected by the pandemic. It will be used for those in agriculture, tourism and transport, as well as other sectors of society, and will be disbursed via the respective ministries

Melaka Zoo has had a 90% visitor drop since the CMCO was enforced in Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding states. The municipal council is looking at how it can aid tourism players with moratoriums on certain taxes, as well as promotion

Malaysian students will be permitted to return abroad for their studies, and may be accompanied by their parents

Labuan’s CMCO has been extended until 13 Nov

The King of Malaysia has called for all Malaysian MPs to support the Budget 2021 which will be tabled on 6 Nov, and “prioritise the public welfare”. Should the government not receive approval for the spending, the PM would be forced to resign, which could potentially trigger a snap election

The Retail Group Malaysia expects a 2-week CMCO to cause a loss of RM3.4 billion in sales, and will be much worse if the CMCO is extended. They also forecast the contribution of tourism shopping to total retail will drop 3-4% in 2020

The Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) has been extended in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor for an additional 2 weeks, until 9 Nov

Sarawak Tourism Board will aim to make 1,000 Grab drivers into tourism ambassadors. It has launched an e-learning program for e-hailing drivers, and is part of a joint effort with Grab

The Penang government is urging digital transformation to boost medical tourism, including robotics and the Internet of Things

The King has said that there is no need for a state of emergency to be declared in Malaysia, something which was proposed by the current PM. The King held a special meeting with other Malay rulers to consider the proposal

The Malaysia Productivity Corporation will ease licensed tour operators’ regulatory burden by no longer requiring an audited financial report in licence renewals between 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2021. They will also allow tour operators to co-share office space

Tourism Malaysia will promote Bung Bratak Heritage Centre in Sarawak overseas

Sabah’s Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) will be extended until 9 Nov, for another 14 days

Google data has showed that Kuala Lumpur is the top searched for domestic destination, followed by Melaka, Penang, Langkawi and Kuala Terengganu

Penang government believes that tourism recovery to the state will be a V shape once the pandemic ends. They have seen a severe impact on the tourism industry with the imposition of the CMCO on Kuala Lumpur and surrounding states, as it is a main source market

OYO Malaysia has proposed to the government to support the tourism industry through 3 actions: targeted monetary incentives, implement standardised hygiene labels and waive licence fees, sales and service tax and extend the wage subsidy program

The Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry will set up a special committee to revive the tourism industry, made up of industry players

The Malaysia Homestay Experiemce In Penang generated RM65k from Jan – Sep, despite COVID-19, something which demonstrates the potential of the homestay industry, especially for rural communities

Sarawak needs more tourists guides for when tourism returns, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister has said. It currently has just 169 vs Sabah’s 2000. They are aiming for 500 guides in the first Regional Specific Tourist Guide Course 2020. The ministry is also launching an e-learning platform for the industry, called PANDei, and is also looking at reopening the borders of Sarawak to other countries like Singapore and Hong Kong

The Malaysian government caused confusion by new restrictions on businesses to implement work from home policies in CMCO areas, with conflicting information initially dispersed. The new policy took place from 22 Oct

The Malaysian government is talking to its Singaporean counterparts over a viral video showing a Malaysian who was prohibited to return to Malaysia under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) agreement

Malaysia has had 8 consecutive months of deflation, with Sep declining by 1.4%

The head office of The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) is temporarily closed until 27 Oct. MATTA have also agreed that staggered weekends and holidays should be looked into as well as targeted incentives to encourage domestic tourism

Setting up a Johor Economic, Tourism and Cultural Office in Singapore has been approved, to promote tourism between the two

Melaka International Airport will remain closed, with the State government not ruling out the possibility that it may not begin operations until 2021 due to the increase in cases

The Pahang state government is appealing for Taman Negara to remain open, as it is not part of the CMCO order

Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has won 46 new bids during Q3, with 21 conventions and exhibitions, 19 meetings and incentives and 6 trade exhibitions won

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and MATTA have proposed that the government introduce a 2-tier wage subsidy system for those in harder hit sectors such as tourism. MAH said that the ban on interstate travel will impact other states, and overall the confidence to travel was low. They also wanted the government to look at the mechanism for the targeted loan moratorium

AirAsia Group CEO has said that their preferred solution for international travel was testing passengers on arrival without a 14-day quarantine, as well as a contact tracing app. He urged borders to open, saying “We cannot live in a cave for the rest of our lives.”

Sarawak will bear the cost for COVID-19 tests on Sarawakians travelling past Brunei’s borders

Malaysia Airlines is continuing its negotiations with creditors and lessors, but it is taking “longer than expected” according to a memo seen by Reuters. The CEO said that they were gaining “encouraging traction”

A record high of 869 cases was reported in Malaysia on 17 Oct, with 451 from Sabah state

Just one tourism destination in Perak has closed due to the increase in cases in the country, Sunway Lost World of Tambun theme park. The state has also launched another initiative for tourism recovery, a voucher which travel agents who book 3D2N packages can claim for their customers

Penang will issue an RFP for Penang Hill Cable Car project in Nov. The project is expected to take 3-4 years to complete

Interstate travellers to states under CMCO will need a permit from the police prior to starting their journey

Melaka Tourism Business Club has seen many last-minute cancellations for hotels due to the CMCO imposed on Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding area

The Malaysian Association Tour Agency (MATA) is urging the government to allow the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to be the ones to administer the Penjana Tourism Financing which was promised to help tourism SMEs. They have said that “not even one percent of the scheme’s amount has been approved by the financial institutions” due to rigid application stipulations

The government expects Malaysia’s unemployment rate to drop to 4.5% by Dec, from Sep’s current 4.7%

A recent proposal which would allow condominiums to ban short-term rental and homestays in Penang has been received with mixed views by the industry. The Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) believe that regulation would be better than banning Airbnb, as it does bring in new customers

Sabah state will be open to foreign investment to revive the tourism industry. They also plan to launch an app to store the health data of tourists

Hotels and homestay accommodation are allowed to operate in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya under CMCO, but will be limited to official affairs, work and emergencies, not for leisure purposes

The proposal to ban short-term rentals in Penang could be a threat to its tourism recovery, Airbnb has said

Malaysians who have registered for Umrah before the MCO on 18 Mar may have the chance to go on pilgrimage in early 2021, but the government is still waiting for an official announcement from the Saudi Arabian government about the new conditions for umrah. However, the Association of Umrah and Haj Travel Agents warns that pilgrims may need to pay an additional RM3,000 for additional expenses

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is partnering with Grab and celebrity chef Ili Sulaiman in a campaign, “Brining Hong Kong to You”. The campaign will deliver food from Hong Kong merchants via the app, as well as tutorials on how to cook Hong Kong-style food

Sarawak has extended its entry restrictions on those domestic travellers arriving from Sabah or Peninsular Malaysia until 15 Nov. This includes a ban on non-Sarawakian travellers arriving from Sabah and Labuan, and a 14-day quarantine for those arriving from Peninsular Malaysia

The WHO has called on Malaysia to respond to new clusters with targeted, localised measures

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that they do not think travel bubbles will happen “for a while yet”, whilst the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) believe that tourism players should live with the new reality

The potential monetisation of customer data by AirAsia Group is being questioned by experts who say that it could violate Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act

Firefly will start its jet airplanes operation from Q1 2021, using Penang International airport as its base. The airline will add up to 10 narrow-body jetliners to its fleet in stages, to serve the domestic, ASEAN and APAC markets. Malaysia Airlines Group says that this arrangement will allow Malaysia Airlines to focus on the premium market

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) have said that hotels have recorded a 15% drop in occupancy since 1 Oct, when Malaysia recorded a spike in cases. They anticipate a further drop now that Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya are under CMCO, and estimate that this will cost the industry RM60-100 million in revenue. They had previously expected a recovery period in mid-2021, but now say this is likely to fall at the end of 2021

Sabah Tourism Board will look at ways to focus on high yield tourists, as well as rural tourism to diversify the state’s products

2 oil spills near Port Dickson will not impact tourism in the resort town, the government has said

Semporna Bumiputra Tourism Association has said that homestay operators on islands off the mainland are impacted by the CMCO imposed on Sabah, as they cannot visit their homestays without the authority’s permission

Resorts World Genting will remain open during the CMCO, but it will monitor the situation

Malaysian Budget Hotels Association (MyBHA) have affirmed that its members have no policies against allowing foreign tourists to stay at their properties, after an incident went viral where a foreign couple staying in Malaysia were refused accommodation after making a booking

MATTA has warned that the CMCO has “practically destroyed” demand for domestic leisure travel, and “it’s only a matter of time before most travel operators close down.” MAH agree that the CMCO is necessary, but it is a “step backwards” for the tourism economy, and call for a targeted wage subsidy

RM120 billion in lending and financing to SMEs was disbursed in H1, according to Bank Negara

Malaysia’s Aug unemployment increased +4.7% in Aug YoY, but remained steady compared to Jul 2020. Statistics Malaysia predicts that there will be “challenges” which will hinder the market due to the increase in cases

All domestic travellers returning from Sabah state must undergo a full 14-day home quarantine, even if they test negative

SMEs should talk to financial institutions to get help, said the PM

Malaysia announced a new Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) for Kuala Lumpur and surrounding states, Selangor and Putrajaya, after an increase of cases in Selangor. Schools and places of worship will close, but commercial activities such as businesses and restaurants will remain open. The CMCO will run from 14-27 Oct

Penang’s unemployment rate is now more than 3%, compared to 2% in 2019, something which the state government has attributed to the retrenchment of hospitality workers

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that implementing staggered weekends and school holidays is welcomed, but the government must introduce more targeted incentives to tour domestically

China’s Foreign Affairs Minister will visit Malaysia from 12-13 Oct

Sarawak is considering extending its quarantine from 14 to 21 days

Sarawak hotels are expecting a decline in occupancy again, after numbers starting to increase after interstate travel was allowed. The Malaysian Association of Hotels expects that it will drop to below 30%

Theme parks are now seeing a decline of 90% in daily visitor since the 3rd wave of cases hit the country at the end of Sep. The Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Parks & Family Attractions estimates that the industry has had RM1.58 billion in losses from Mar-Sep. They say that some parks may have to temporarily shut again due to poor attendance. They are also continuing to appeal to the government to lift the 25% entertainment tax to boost visitorship

Mersing in Johor state could become a tourism destination to drive economic growth post COVID-19, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) and the Johor State government have said

All schools in Sabah state will be closed from 10-25 Oct, due to the spike in cases

Pahang state are considering changing work arrangements, weekends and school holidays to boost domestic tourism. They have proposed that workers be split into 2 groups allowing each group 3-day weekends, and schools have staggered school holidays to boost off-peak travel

Malaysians who travel to Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia must undergo a 14-day quarantine on entry from 10 Oct

Four zones will be under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from 9 Oct for 14 days, including Klang in Selangor state, Sandakan, Papar and Tuaran in Sabah state. Only essential services will be allowed to operate, and residents should remain at home

Applications to enter Malaysia, both for Malaysians and foreigners, can now be made by MyTravelPass on the Immigration Dept website

Travellers who visited Sabah before the mandatory quarantine order was imposed on 27 Sep are advised to go for a COVID-19 screening to be safe

The Malaysia Virtual Experience (MyVXP) was launched by the Tourism Productivity Nexus, and aims to have 150,000 virtual tourists by Jan 2021. It has 150 products available for virtual experiences, and has now trained 450 hosts to develop products

Japan will lift its travel advisories for citizens to travel to Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan

The Malaysia Budget Hotel Association has launched a “Jom Nginap” campaign in collaboration with Touch N Go e-wallet and Gkash, encouraging hotels to participate in the e-wallet cashback schemes

Miri is planning to develop the 100 year old Makam Permaisuri site into a park and tourist site

The Malaysian PM confirmed that it is not currently considering a nationwide lockdown, as they are afraid that this would “crash the social and economic system in the country”. The PM admitted that the state election in Sabah was partly responsible for the increase in cases

Interstate travel to and from Sabah will be banned from 12-25 Oct, with only certain residents allowed entry

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) is maintaining an average hotel occupancy rate of 25% for this year, so long as domestic tourism can be sustained. During the Merdeka weekend in Aug/ Sep, it went up to 42%, and average has been 39%

The government is imposing a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan in Sabah from 7 Oct for 2 weeks, with all non-essential businesses to close

Tourism Malaysia has said that tour operators currently in red zone COVID areas should remain resilient, and look for interesting new packages to attract visitors

The Ministry of Health has warned against holding large events and conferences – and if they do go ahead, they should ensure that SOPs are followed

Cancellations are rising in Langkawi as the number of cases increase in the state

Penang Hill has submitted its application to UNESCO to be considered a Biosphere Reserve

Terengganu tourism companies have been reminded to adhere to SOPs. Tourism arrivals to the state have been increasing, with Pulau Redang receiving 25,004 tourists in Aug, a 114.8% increase YoY. Perhentian Island recorded 41,420 tourists in Aug, an increase of 319.4%

Sarawak have confirmed RM106 million worth of MICE events has been secured for the next 4 years, contributing to 8,480 jobs

Foreign students will not be allowed to enter the country until 31 Dec, even if they have already received approval, the Immigration Dept has announced. The physical registration and learning of students in Oct 2020 intake has been postponed

Non-Sabahans will need valid immigration passes from Sabah Immigration Dept before entering the state until 16 Oct

Malaysia will continue to discuss reopening the border with Singapore, despite the increase in cases

Kapit in Sarawak may receive more domestic tourists now that a road has been completed to Sibu – before this, it was only accessible by river

An inter-district travel ban in Sabah state has caused confusion amongst residents, who are calling for greater clarity, especially for those who regularly cross district lines for work. The inter-district travel ban is set to run from 3-16 Oct

Malaysia will not reimpose widespread lockdown measures, despite a rise in cases, a government minister confirmed. Malaysia had a spike of 317 cases on 3 Oct, the highest since the pandemic began. The government is being criticised for the increase in cases, many of which have been linked to Sabah, which had an election last week. The Sabah outbreak has been blamed on illegal migrants

The Religious Affairs Minister will visit Saudi Arabia early 2021 to understand the status of Malaysian pilgrims for Haj

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has complained that financial institutions are imposing unfavourable terms on them for extending the repayment moratorium. MATTA are gathering together the complaints to take them to Bank Negara

Park Inn by Radisson Putrajaya has opened in Malaysia on 1 Oct, the first of the Park Inn by Radisson brand in the country

There will be stricter screenings at public transport terminals, stations and counters from 2 Oct

AirAsia will connect Langkawi to Kuching with flights 3 times/ week from 13 Nov

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister has said that they expect a decrease in domestic tourism expenditure in 2020

MATTA think that the extension of the Wage Subsidy Programme 2.0 will be a help to is members, but also appeals to banks to be more flexible

All tour operators should comply with the SOPs, the ministry has reminded them

Non-Sarawakians in Sabah and Labuan will not be allowed to enter Sarawak from 4-18 Oct, whilst Sarawakians residing in those states will be allowed to enter, but must fill in an online application and be quarantined. Peninsular Malaysia residents will be allowed to enter Sarawak, but must quarantine for 14 days on arrival

The Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (SATTA) has said that imposing a lockdown in Sabah is the right move, as tourism will only start to recover once cases return to low digits. They said that domestic tourism in the state had started to recover in Jul and Aug, but it was now declining again. They are hoping for an extension of the loan moratorium, as well as more government assistance

MATTA have advised travellers to postpone their holiday plans to Sabah until mid-Oct. They also asked the government to make the SOP clear for travellers from Sabah, including quarantine or tests. Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air have reduced flight frequencies to the state

Angsana Teluk Bahang, the first Angsana property in Malaysia, will soft launch on 10 Oct in Penang

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) estimates there has been a drop of 75% in medical tourism

Credit card spend domestically in Malaysia doubled to RM10.205 billion from Apr’s RM5.3 billion. Last year’s Jul domestic spend was RM10.26 billion. Maybank has noted an increase in travel related expenses

Q3’s economic activity is expected to improve, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). According to DOSM, tourism in 2019 accounted for 23.6% of employment and 15.9% of Malaysia’s economy

Malaysia won the PATA Gold award 2020 in the “Tourism for all” category through virtual tourism for senior citizens

The World Bank has revised its 2020 GDP forecast for Malaysia, with a contraction of 4.9% vs its previous forecast of 3.1%

Perak state is targeting 5 million domestic tourists in 2020. They have had over 90,000 room bookings since the lifting of the MCO

MATTA has partnered with Google Malaysia and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to run a special webinar series aimed at SMEs to connect them with local online consumers

AirAsia Group hopes to open 100 Santan restaurant franchises in Malaysia and overseas by 2022, in additional to the 15 stores it owns. It expected the contribution of its sales to group earnings to grow from 2% to 10-15%

Johor state is developing a long-term tourism strategy and improve its development plan within 10 years

The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) has urged the government to develop a long-term tourism recovery plan, in addition to a stimulus, to help the sector

Additional staff and screening equipment were moved to KLIA and KLIA2 airports to reduce the congestion from arrivals from Sabah after returning to the state to vote in the elections

A targeted Movement Control Order (MCO) will be implemented in areas of Sabah from 29 Sep to 12 Oct

RM11.8 billion has been disbursed under the Wage Subsidy Scheme so far, the Human Resources Minister has said

The coalition formed by the current PM’s government has won the Sabah state elections on 26 Sep, defeating the opposition party who previously held the majority

The Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce is urging the government to establish a travel corridor between the 2 countries for business travellers, expats and investors

Sarawak’s tourism arrivals in Aug dropped by 87% YoY, with just 44,156. Overall, its Jan-Aug numbers dropped by 62% YoY

Sarawak has identified another mountain, called the “Mountain Giant Baby”, which could become a new tourist destination

Travellers returning to Sarawak and Peninsula Malaysia from Sabah must undergo a home surveillance order (HSO) and undergo screening from 27 Sep, after clusters were detected in other states which originated from Sabah

Tourism Malaysia has revealed that the government is looking at ASEAN cross-border travel for leisure at some point during Q1 2021. They believe that green travel bubbles would be established with those ASEAN countries which share land borders with Malaysia, and do not necessarily require air travel, including Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia

Melaka is being promoted as a must-visit state in Kuala Lumpur through a new tie-up with public transportation being wrapped in advertising for the destination. The state government is also running a programme called the Dream Now Travel Later, with an app launched that sells tourism packages to the state. Customers receive RM10 credit when they use the app

The Johor state government has urged for the Singapore-Malaysia border to open further for daily commuting, or 100,000 Malaysians may lose their jobs due to the extended closure. Unemployment in Johor state has already hit a record high of 18%, with 5-10% of businesses in the city area closing

The China-Malaysia Culture and Tourism Month-Fun with Nature campaign was launched at the National Zoo in Malaysia, with over 1,000 visitors the first day

Parlo Bhd, a travel agency in Malaysia listed on the stock exchange, is diversifying its business to provide employment agency related services to a Myanmar company specialising in migrant workers

Tenaga Nasional has signed an agreement with Malaysia Airlines to install solar panels on 4 of the airline’s buildings at Kuala Lumpur international Airport (KLIA). It forms part of their initiative to cut carbon emissions

Malaysia has won the “Health and Medical Tourism: Destination of the Year” award for the 4th time in the 2020 Medical Tourism Award ceremony

Mt Kinabalu Park has been closed for 14 days until 8 Oct, after a hiker tested positive for COVID-19

Malaysia’s wage subsidy scheme will be worth RM2.4 billion, and will be given to companies who have seen a 30% decline or more in revenue YoY. Companies would receive RM600 for up to 200 employees for 3 months. For those new applicants who did not have earlier assistance, they would receive it up to 6 months. The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) welcomed the move, but highlighted that they are still calling for other assistance, including tax incentives, tourism marketing and tourism development

A new economic stimulus program has been released by the PM, worth RM10 billion. It includes RM7 billion in cash aid for SMEs and the wage subsidy scheme

A China-Malaysia Digital Cultural Tourism Industry Forum was held on 24 Sep to promote mutual ideas on boosting tourism

Discussions between Malaysia and Singapore on reopening the border further are still ongoing, the Singapore government has confirmed

Malaysia remains in discussion with Saudi Arabia over the resumption of umrah, after it was reported that Saudi Arabia may allow pilgrims from other countries to perform umrah from 1 Nov

The Tourism, Arts & Culture Minister has encouraged travel agents to create more niche tourism packages, which can be included in a booklet called “My Malaysia Experience”. They can also post their packages on to the website www.malaysia.travel, with currently has 103 offers and 107 packages

According to the Amadeus Travel Insights Bulletin, Malaysian travellers are booking domestic flights further ahead than they did pre-pandemic, around 5 days out

15,666 Malaysians have lost their jobs in Singapore in H1, with the service sector the worst hit

Kidzania in Kuala Lumpur has teamed up with Klook to enhance the visitor experience at its indoor kids’ theme park, including a new area which will encourage kids to explore building their own tech startup

MATTA Fair, the largest consumer travel fair which takes place twice yearly, will run its first online edition from 23-30 Sep. It will have 100 exhibitors, focusing on domestic travel. They are also planning for a 2-day physical B2C MATTA fair in Kuala Lumpur in Nov

The Finance Minister has said that foreign investors remain confident in Malaysia, with the ringgit becoming one of the strongest currencies in SE Asia

Sport-related businesses will be allowed to open until 2am, in an extension to the hours

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has launched a national campaign called “A Hundred Unsung Heroes”, where it will highlight 100 frontliners. It aims to engender confidence in the healthcare system

The Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Park and Family Attractions (MAAFTA) has said that if the 25% entertainment tax is not scrapped, the theme park and attractions industry will not be able to last for another year. They have said that all demand is focusing around weekends, as school and group attendance has not yet recovered

A newly-discovered air raid shelter in Miri may become a new tourist attraction

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) have gazetted 548 items as “intangible heritage” in Malaysia, covering language and literature, manners and culture, performing arts and fine arts

The snap election in Sabah on 26 Sep is proving to be an opportunity for tourism businesses, especially those in car rental, transportation and accommodation. However, this effect has not spilled over to east Sabah

Malaysia will join the Covax Vaccine Plan(global access), as well as start an agreement with China to receive access

Sabah will focus on ecotourism, as well as ensure that the industry is rebuilt, rather than pursuing arrivals or tourism receipts

Travellers to Sarawak state from Sabah will need to take a PCR test 3 days before departure, after a spike of cases in the state. Those who must travel frequently from Sarawak to Sabah for work would need to take a test every 2 weeks

Penang Hill and its surrounding area hopes to be designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the next 2 years

The Malaysian PM has hinted that if his allies win the snap election in Sabah state on 26 Sep, they should “quickly” hold a general election

Genting Malaysia is expected to see a turnaround from Q4, aided by strong domestic tourism. Resorts World Genting is welcoming up to 40,000 visitors per day, with 50% of hotels room open, and 90% average occupancy since Jun

Malaysia has cut its medical tourism targets for next year, now aiming to earn RM800 million in 2021 vs this year’s RM500 million, and much further from the original target of RM2 billion for 2021. They expect less than 300,000 medical tourists in 2020 vs 2019’s 1.2 million

Mersing Tourism Association (MTA) is planning free workshops for tour guides during the monsoon season, teaching them digital promotion, maintenance of tour boats and mapping island hopping packages

Nielsen’s consumer confidence survey for Q2 has shown that Malaysians have cut non-essential spending, with 44% spending less on vacations vs Q1’s 38%

The next Sabah government must regain travellers’ confidence to travel to the state, as well as offer incentives, the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) has said. The state has also launched a support stimulus whereby Sabah tour operators can claim back RM50 per pax who book a 3D2N package

PM Muhyiddin has said that the country is not in a rush to reopen borders, and will in fact tighten border controls, particularly for illegal immigrants. "We must strike a fine balance between protecting lives and livelihoods of all Malaysians," he said

A new domestic tourism campaign focusing on Kuala Lumpur, Cuti-Cuti Kuala Lumpur, will be launched

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in Sarawak has earmarked RM48.5 million for 9 projects in the state, including further development of ecotourism and homestay programmes

Langkawi has reassured domestic tourists that the island is still a green zone, amidst higher cases and a localised lockdown in the state. The Langkawi Development Agency (LADA) have said that they have welcomed 82,000 pax since Jun

The One&Only Desaru Coast hotel opened on 6 Sep

The Malaysian Transport Minister is hoping to announce an air bubble with Singapore, as well as other countries soon

Kelantan has launched a new tourism campaign to attract domestic travellers, called “Jom Maghi Dderak Di Kelate”

Brunei visitors to Malaysia have dropped 78.4% in H1 2020

Sabah has launched a new domestic MICE campaign, called “BE here for you”, with the Sabah New Deals MICE Incentive 2020-2021. Event organisers can apply for a grant of up to RM100,000 per group of 30 or more delegates who stay in the state for at least 2 nights

Standardisation of regulations and taxes for hotels and Airbnb in Malaysia shall soon be finalised, to create a level playing field

The Malaysian government is planning to boost tourism through securing partnerships, investments, empowering local communities and ensuring the industry is sustainable and resilient. They expect to see a growth of at least 24% in hotel occupancy and related sectors by Dec

Johor is considering building an airconditioned walkway on the 350m-long causeway between Malaysia and Singapore’s border

Penang medical tourism players are calling on the state government to reconsider its ban on inbound medical tourists. The Penang Centre of Medical Tourism suggests that tourists self-isolate for 14 days prior to arrival, and that in general, the medical tourism industry needs to diversify its source markets

Sarawak hopes for more visitors in Q4, now that flight connectivity has been restored

The regulations for Malaysians travelling outbound has been updated and Malaysian diplomats and their families, students who study overseas and Malaysians who are long-term passholders of another country do not need prior approval to leave. Those categories which do need approval include Malaysians with job offers abroad, those attending MICE, parents who will accompany their children for studies and those with family emergencies. Leisure outbound travel is still not permitted for Malaysians

Malaysia is looking at fully reopening with Singapore for daily commuters in Jan. The Health Minister of Malaysia said that the period until then was a time for more systems to be put into place. They are also looking into doubling the capacity for swabbing travellers under the RGL and PCA agreements

The Penang Tourism Master Plan should be finalised by year-end, and will form the strategy for 2019 to 2030

Tourism Malaysia have urged locals to travel domestically, and that the travel industry should create combinations of packages, theme parks and hotels to benefit everyone

Malaysia’s unemployment rate had dropped to 4.7% in Jul from May’s record 5.3%. There are also 104,300 people who are temporarily jobless, but are not termed unemployed

Tourism associations are urging the government to extend the loan moratorium, due to expire on 30 Sep, for the tourism industry for at least another 6 months. They stated that “everyone in the tourism industry is hungry for business, not only the hotels have gone directly to the consumers; airlines and attraction operators too have joined the fray. They, too, have offered packages and ignored the fact that license imposed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is required.”

Food outlets and convenience stores will be permitted to stay open until 2am from 11 Sep, an increase from the previous midnight. All foreigners will now also be allowed to pray at mosques

Following the ban on people from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19, Malaysia has announced that expats and professional visit passholders from those listed countries would still be permitted to enter, provided they had approval from the Immigration Department before entry

The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council is proposing that medical tourists from 6 countries may be allowed to enter Malaysia on commercial flights: Brunei, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand

The World Hospitality, Lifestyle and Entertainment Echibition and Conference (WHOLE 2020) opened in Penang on 10 Sep, expecting 3,000 physical and virtual visitors. The fair aims to boost domestic and inbound tourism, with a focus on B2B

The Tourism, Arts and Cultural Minister has said that it was the right move to bring these three areas together. She said that the Malaysian Association of Hotels reports that the average occupancy level is 38%, with higher levels at beaches and islands, lower in cities at 20%. She also encouraged travel agents to include arts and cultural programmes into their packages

84,588 overnight visitors were recorded in Johor in Jun, vs May’s 585

Passengers arriving to Malaysia faced huge entry delays with confusion as to whether Malaysian citizens arriving from banned countries were allowed to enter – once they were allowed, no arrangements had been made for quarantine for them

4,252,997 international tourists entered Malaysia in H1, a drop of 68.2%. The top 3 markets included Singapore, Indonesia and China, and there was a 64.2% drop in the number of daytrippers across the border

Sarawak state government will apply for an allocation of RM100 million for its tourism industry, and would identify tourism products to be proposed to the federal government

Hong Kong has said that they are in talks with 6 nations to establish travel bubbles – including Malaysia, who had reciprocated interest

Haj pilgrims stranded in Jeddah on arrival from Malaysia are filing a lawsuit against a travel agency

AirAsia Group wants to raise RM2.5 billion by year-end, and is also reevaluating the future of its business unit in Japan

The Malaysia Tourism City (MTC) project, with the world’s first Hasbro water theme park, is still awaiting approval. The project incorporates mass tourism, health tourism, education tourism and ecotourism

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said the government decision to keep borders closed until 31 Dec will mean that the hotel industry has to re-strategise and push plans further into 2021. The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that an extended RMCO would have a “most severe” impact on tourism players, who have seen a drop of 90% in revenue from Jan – Aug, calling the industry “crippled”

A water shortage for days across Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding area across the weekend led to many people booking staycations at local hotels

Revenues at malls and theme parks in Johor’s Iskandar Puteri have dropped by at least 40% since lockdowns were imposed, thanks to the drop in Singaporean and Chinese tourists

Jul’s number of visitors to Langkawi increased to 189,000 from 82,000 in Jun, with the number in Aug expected to be higher

Penang is aiming to be the top domestic destination in Malaysia

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) has said that popular beach destinations have seen occupancy rates from 50-80%, but that destinations which rely on flights saw lower occupancy levels, such as in Kedah, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak

Over 3,000 people have entered Malaysia from Singapore using the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) and Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) agreements, with just one case detected from the PCA arrangement. Accordingly, those under PCA to Malaysia will have to quarantine in a hotel instead of at home

All cultural year-end activities will be cancelled in Penang

The Sabah Tourism Board has been approved for the Safer Tourism Seal

The Sarawak Tourism Minister has said that Malaysia is unlikely to go for selective reopening of borders, as the “we’d rather wait until the virus is curtailed before we reopen the borders”

Sarawak will continue its Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) scheme, despite it being stopped at the national level

Tourism Malaysia will launch special travel packages for civil servants under the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign. Tour agencies, hotels and operators will participate in the campaign with products in Kuala Lumpur, including free bus tour tickets and discounted hotel stays

Marriott is looking to open more properties in Penang, Melaka and East Malaysia following the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott in Georgetown Penang

Malaysia hopes to finalise arrangements for daily commuting with Singapore soon

Malaysia will extend a ban on citizens from countries with more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19 from 7 Sep. Amongst those countries banned are the US, UK, France, Spain, Saudi Arabia, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Malaysians returning home from those countries will be permitted, but must undergo the 14-day quarantine

Many Malaysian tourism companies plan to join the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) to attract Chinese inbound travellers

42 hotels have now been recognised under the Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Recognition scheme, with an additional 30 hotels classified this year. The Islamic Tourism Centre will also launch a scheme to register Islamic Tourism Products and Packages

Malaysians are the 8th most optimistic amongst 27 nations that a vaccine will be available by the end of 2020

International tourist spending declined 69.8% YoY in H1 to RM12.58 billion, whilst there was also a loss of RM13 billion for domestic tourism in H1

Sarawak will see improvement in its domestic tourism by the end of the year, with an increase of flights, as well as new packages for non-Sarawakian Malaysians at discounted rates

Kampung Santubong will be turned into an archaeological town, enabling it to attract more tourists. A target date for completion is Feb 2021 for 3 heritage sites to be developed

AirAsia will introduce a fee for using the check-in counter as opposed to its self-serve kiosks. Pax will be charged RM20 for domestic flights and RM30 for international flights. This is to encourage contactless technology and minimise physical contact with customers and staff

Pacific World will close its offices as part of its shutdown globally

Apple Vacations will launch Apple MICE Muslim packages to attract Muslim travellers to book with them

Malaysia’s economy has been continuously improving, but the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has said that tourism players need to prepare for more challenges ahead, with company restructuring and staff layoffs inevitable. They called on the government to extend the wage subsidy program and the loan moratorium, and said that the RM1,000 tax relief for domestic travel was not useful as there had not been any clarification on how to claim it

Melaka’s tourism is now 90% recovered, especially on the weekends and public holidays. The state government is still strategising how to reach 5.6 million tourists by the end of the year

Penang is working tirelessly for tourism, including the RM10 million Penang Business Continuity Zero Interest Loan with loans up to RM50,000 and the Responsible Tourism campaign

The Langkawi Development Authority is aiming for 2.5 million tourists this year, backed by the Langkawi Great Sales campaign

Foreign students have registered but are waiting to be allowed entry to Malaysia, with the majority from China, Indonesia and Bangladesh

All Malaysians entering Sarawak from other Malaysian states would no longer need to quarantine on arrival, but will need to fill in a health declaration. 10% of arrivals will also be randomly screened

The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will be extended until 31 Dec, with the PM warning the public to continue wearing masks and maintaining hygiene

Owners of 33 supercars brought them on a 2-day trip to Penang, hoping that they could draw attention and increase sales at local businesses through visiting

Tourism Malaysia is expanding its partnership with Visa, to see enhanced patriotism for Malaysians to buy locally-made goods and services

Malaysia Airports Holdings reported a net loss of RM91.07 million in Q2, as passenger movements were down 96% YoY. They said that despite a positive trajectory, traffic had not reached full momentum yet. They are also planning to reduce its operating cost by 20%

The Tourism Minister has announced that SOPs for travel bubbles will be proposed to the National Security Council next week

The Ministry of Tourism will use social media to boost tourism, prioritising Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok

Cardiff City Football Club will replace “Visit Malaysia” with “Malaysia berjaya” (Malaysia success) on its jerseys for the 2020-2021 Championship

The Tourism Minister announced that Malaysia may stay closed to international tourists until Q2 2021, but that the country is still in discussions with foreign missions. Meanwhile, the Health DG called for a renewed clampdown of borders, and that inbound nor outbound travel should be permitted in the medium-term

The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is in the process of getting the Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (AACVB) formally registered, to mobile it as a group, initially focusing on research and then branching out to other areas

The Tourism Minister launched Cuti-Cuti Malaysia TV, with 5 promotional videos highlighting difference themes. These will be broadcast on media and social media platforms

MyCEB is encouraging MICE players to think more creatively, and they are identifying niche products and unique venues. They will also organise roadshows in key MICE destinations. They are also advising venues to upgrade their technology

The Tourism Minister has said that the Malaysian business events industry looks promising, as only 24 events were cancelled, whilst 64 were postponed

Foreign spouses and children of Malaysians will be allowed to enter the country

Malaysia Airports launched a staycation at KLIA airport, which included an exclusive tour of the airport’s firestation as well as “Insta moments with out fit and strong ’pinup’ firemen.” The 3-days programme sold out

Malaysia is looking into establishing green zones with certain parts of the country, showcasing niche tourism activities like golfing, diving and eco adventure

AirAsia.com and Agoda have tied up as partners, sharing their flight and hotel inventories

Miri is suffering due to the lack of Bruneian tourists to the town – usually thousands of travellers from Brunei Darussalam visit, but have not been able to due to the border closure

Travellers to Langkawi have been urged to follow SOPs after a picture went viral showing hundreds of tourists squeezed into the Kuala Perlis ferry terminal

The Penang International Travel Exchange 2020 will be moved to an online format on 14-16 Oct, with the aim of having 100 exhibitors participating with at least 200 buyers worldwide. It is fully subsidised by the Penang state government

The E&O Residences in Kuala Lumpur will stop operation in Sep, affecting 50 employees

Malaysia Airports will create retail opportunities for bumiputera (those of Malay and indigenous ethnicities) within their network of airports, as part of its initiative to ensure 50% of its procurement spend goes to bumiputera operators