KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) has rolled out plans for domestic tourism between green zones.
Its minister Datuk Sri Nancy Shukri said the detailed Stimulus Recovery Plan (SRP) is to reinvigorate the tourism sectors impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The SRP will be carried out under three main cores: to restore confidence in travel; revive domestic tourism; and, maximise resources.
"MOTAC welcomes the government's decision to allow a domestic travel bubble between green zones in the country.
"We hope the rakyat will use the opportunity to travel responsibly and adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and also the new norm while traveling," Nancy told reporters today. Also present were ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Noor Zari Hamat and Tourism Malaysia director-general Zulkifly Md Said.
For international tourism, she said the wait will have to continue until further announcements.
Under the SRP, the ministry will be carrying out programmes through strategic collaborations and partnerships with airline companies and other tourism related agencies.
These include services and hospitality and transportation such as Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and Malaysian Budget Hotel Association (MyBHA).
The latest SOP has been updated and available for reference at the National Security Council (NSC) and the ministry's websites.
Among the updated SOP are that people traveling from between green zones without going through yellow, orange or red zones are exempted from seeking police permission to travel.
However, those who will go through non-green zones will have to obtain permission. The permission can also be requested by travel agents, registered with the ministry, in bulk.
Those traveling in a family in private vehicles and others taking tour buses will be allowed to operate at full capacity.
"Since this is green-to-green tourism, there is no worry of non-compliance (of Covid-19 SOP)," said Nancy.
However, travel agents are responsible for ensuring that those traveling under their packages are not Covid-19 positive.
"If we fnd them flouting the SOP, we will take action, said Nancy.