BUILDING a sense of confidence among the local tourists is the core element in reviving Penang’s tourism industry, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
“In order to regain the confidence of our tourists, we need to have a solid standard operating procedure (SOP) which will give them a reassurance of their safety when they visit Penang,” said Chow during the launch of the ‘Responsible Tourism’ at Queensbay Mall today.
“Penang is heading towards creating a responsible tourism which would also help check the spread of the Covid-19 transmission in the state.
“We (the state government) have taken the necessary steps as well as initiated guidelines to ensure a smooth re-opening of the tourism industry,” said Chow while adding that the state government would continue with its efforts to accelerate the recovery of its economy.
According to Chow, the state government is satisfied with the number of domestic tourists to Penang since the re-opening of its tourism industry.
“We hope that there will be an increase in the number of tourists to Penang as it is important for our economy.
“We have been striking a balance between the public health and the economic health since they are equally important to us,” added Chow.
During the launch, some of the tourism operators in the state received accreditation under the Penang Accreditation System for successfully complying with the SOPs during their operation.
Meanwhile, state Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said the ‘Responsible Tourism’ campaign is a reminder to all that adhering to SOPs is a collective responsibility.
“The concept of responsible tourism is where everyone needs to play their role in making tourism safer.
“Penang is the first state in Malaysia to come up with this approach in its continuous effort to curb the pandemic,” Yeoh said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi