Malaysia will admit international travellers from April 1, said on Tuesday its prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as the country enters what it terms the ‘endemic’ phase of the Covid-19 crisis.
Visitors will need to have a ‘negative’ test result for Covid-19 issued within two days of departure for Malaysia, and will need to take another test on arrival, according to the measures now announced. The prime minister said visitors who are fully vaccinated would not have to undergo quarantine upon arrival.
“This move will revive the country’s economy, especially the tourism industry that has been heavily affected by the pandemic,” said Mr Yaakob, as cited by local media.
The nation has been closed to foreign tourists since March 2020.
Nearly 98 percent of Malaysia’s adult population are fully vaccinated, with more than half having also received booster shots, report local media.
Before pandemic-related travel restrictions, foreign visitors had – according to investment analysts – been an important component in the earnings of Resorts World Genting, the country’s only casino complex. The property is run by Genting Malaysia Bhd.
In late February, Genting Malaysia said it had returned to profit in the fourth quarter, and would pay a dividend for full-year 2021. Its flagship Malaysia resort had also faced periods of closure during the pandemic.
Genting SkyWorlds, the new MYR3.3-billion (US$789-million) outdoor theme park at Resorts World Genting, had a soft opening on February 8.
Following a pause to assess the risk of the Omicron-variant of Covid-19, neighbouring Singapore recently reactivated and then expanded its so-called vaccinated travel lane programme for inbound and outbound travel via certain nations, including Malaysia.
