KUCHING: The reopening of the tourism industry including tours should be done in stages with clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place, said Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Sarawak Chapter chairperson Lina Tsen.
She said this in agreement with Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah’s recent statement that relevant SOPs must be put in place prior to the resumption of the tourism industry and that the reopening should not be done too abruptly.
Tsen said among the SOPs which should be implemented was that visitors should be fully vaccinated with both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“They should undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within 72 hours before arriving in Sarawak and they should be required to have a police permit,” she said when contacted on Tuesday (Sept 21).
She said other SOPs which should be adhered to during tourism activities were temperature checking, MySejahtera checking, hand sanitising and maintaining physical distancing at all times.
Earlier on Monday (Sept 20), Abdul Karim believed that the tourism industry could be resumed but added that this has to be done one step at a time.
He said the reopening of the tourism sector would benefit the economic growth of the state and the country.
