Malaysia’s tourism sector stretched thin amid deluge of post-Covid travellers from Singapore, Indonesia, India and Europe

Nation reopened its borders on April 1, hoping for two million visitors this year; one million have already visited, with travel sector battling to cope

Some hotels are retraining employees to do other roles too, while seeking part-timers, waiting for foreign workers; meanwhile, fewer flights than pre-Covid days means fewer options – deterring some travellers

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Vehicles form a long queue to enter the Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore early on April 1, 2022, before crossing the causeway to Malaysia’s southern Johor state, as both countries reopen its borders to all fully vaccinated travellers. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP)

Published: 7:53pm, 8 Jun 2022Updated: 8:24pm, 8 Jun 2022

Just two months after reopening its borders, closed to international visitors since the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020, Malaysia has managed to hit half of its target of two million visitors for 2022.

As of last weekend, over 600,000 of one million arrivals came from neighbouring Singapore, which shares a land crossing with Malaysia.

Singapore, which has lifted most Covid-19 travel restrictions, is currently in the midst of its June school holidays and families have been thronging to the country’s northern neighbour and other nearby vacation destinations.

Some 262,000 people have been makings trips on the two land crossings between the neighbours each day between Friday and Sunday, the city state’s authorities said on Wednesday.

People walk towards Malaysia from southern Thailand on June 1. The two nations have re-opened their borders following a loosening of restrictions related to Covid-19. Photo: AFP

Despite this growing stream of people to Malaysia, though, a lack of airline tickets and hotel rooms is threatening to pour cold water on the resurgence of the tourism sector, struggling to get back on its feet after its borders opened again for business on April 1.

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