THE tourism industry needs between 15,000 and 20,000 workers and the current manpower shortage should be sorted out in not more than two months, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri said today.

She said the cabinet had approved to bring in three million workers and “we are now in the process of bringing them in”.

The government had approved for the labour to be sourced from Indonesia, Myanmar and Bangladesh, she added.

“They are already in the process. Should not be more than two months,” she told reporters at her ministry’s Hari Raya get-together in Kuching.

She said in the meantime, the various sectors of the travel and tourism industry, hotels, and food and beverage outlets have to mitigate the problem as best as they can.

Nancy said foreigners were sought as locals have been found to no longer be keen to work in the tourism industry.

“Hoteliers want to bring them in and fill the vacant posts but because Covid-19 had brought uncertainties to the industry, many have ‘withdrawal symptoms’.

“They are simply afraid of returning. They would rather leave and find alternative jobs,” she said.

Having set a modest target of two million arrivals this year, Nancy said her ministry is optimistic of reaching that target as arrivals to Malaysia recorded to date have “passed the 500,000 mark”.

Nancy said one of the ministry’s new focuses is to target young travellers.

She said prior to this, many young holidaymakers only made Malaysia a honeymoon destination.

The new drive would encourage these travellers to get married in the country and have their honeymoon here.

The Indian market, she said, is a good prospect as they have shown interest in tying their nuptials here. – May 14, 2022.