A TOTAL of 12,607 tourists have visited Langkawi since the reopening of the tourism industry on the resort island under the tourism bubble pilot project from September 16 to 22.

State Tourism, Arts and Culture, Youth and Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Mohd Firdaus Ahmad said the number involved 11,853 locals and 754 foreigners.

“There were 8,587 tourists who came to Langkawi by air while 4,020 used the ferry service,” he said at a press conference after visiting the Kuala Kedah Ferry Terminal in Alor Setar today.

He said the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture had previously targeted about 30,000 tourists to visit Langkawi this month, but it is unlikely to be achieved due to the strict standard operating procedures imposed on tourists.

Firdaus stressed, however, that the mandatory Covid-19 early detection tests conducted on tourists is important to control the spread of the disease among those who visit Langkawi.

“Maybe now the number of tourists has decreased a little, but in November and December, we expect the numbers to go up as the school holidays would have begun at the time,” he said.

Meanwhile, state Agriculture and Agro-resources, Transport and Primary Industries Committee chairman Azman Nasrudin, who was also present, said the number of ferry trips to Langkawi will be increased if there is a higher demand from tourists.

“Currently, there are only two ferry trips a day, one from Kuala Kedah to Pulau Langkawi and one trip from Pulau Langkawi to Kuala Kedah. If the number of tourists increases, we will ask the Transport Ministry to allow more trips,” he said. – Bernama, September 24, 2021.