Langkawi Tourism Operators Urged to Be Creative During Off-Peak Seasons

LANGKAWI – Tourism operators in Langkawi have been urged to adopt more creative strategies to attract local visitors during the off-peak season, amid ongoing international border closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions), Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, said tourism players should consider offering discounted packages to Malaysians to maintain momentum outside of school holiday periods.

“Right now, they’re happy with the influx of visitors due to the school holidays, but they must also think about what can be done to draw tourists during the off-season,” he told reporters after a dialogue session with hotel operators last night.

The dialogue, held in collaboration with the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (TERAJU), brought together 50 hotel operators to discuss strategies and challenges in reviving Langkawi’s tourism sector.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the island, Redzuan highlighted the need to explore economic diversification ideas such as aquaculture projects, while also carefully assessing their environmental impact.

“We must evaluate whether aquaculture is feasible without harming Langkawi’s status as a green destination. It could be considered if the scale is small and more aligned with eco-tourism. Bringing aquaculture to Langkawi is a good idea, but it must be studied thoroughly,” he said.

Drastic Decline in Tourist Numbers and Revenue
During the session, Redzuan noted that Langkawi had recorded 3.14 million tourist arrivals in 2019, but only 1.6 million visitors as of November last year, a drop of 54 percent.

He added that tourism revenue had plummeted from RM1.7 billion in 2019 to just RM900 million by November of the following year, reflecting an 80 percent decline caused by the country’s border closure amid the global health crisis.

“This significant drop in income is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions it imposed,” he said.
Redzuan reiterated the importance of resilience, innovation, and collaboration among Langkawi’s tourism operators to ensure the island remains a key domestic destination even during uncertain times.

–Source