Monsoon worries for island
Pulau Tioman tourism players are hopeful for a reopening before the wet season begins.
TOURISM operators in Pulau Tioman, Pahang are hoping that water activities at the popular holiday destination will be allowed soon, before the monsoon season starts in about two months.
The lack of tourists have left chalet operators with little choice but to lay off their workers as they could no longer manage to pay their salaries or earn enough to continue their business.
Kampung Juara Tok Ampat (headman) Ab Razib Ali Awang, 55, said approval to conduct those activities would rejuvenate the community’s economy, especially for those who have lost their source of income when the tourism sector stopped operating due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The wage subsidy assistance programme provided by the government really helped us to pay our workers but we still need to pay utility bills and bank loans and also find money to support our families.
“That’s why we hope for some exemptions for us to conduct water activities immediately to attract domestic tourists,” he said.
The father-of-five who operates the Tioman Santai Resort chalet in the village said they tried to eke out a living by selling fruits, but it doesn’t bring in enough money as customers are limited to just the residents on the island.
Damai Tioman Resort owner Syed Rizalman Syed Abu Bakar, 46, also said exemptions to conduct beach activities should be given to tourism operators on the island as around 80% of the adult population in the area have completed their Covid-19 vaccinations.
“We hope to be given a chance as we have less than two months to operate and we will be facing the monsoon season starting November. This season will last for four months.
“If this exemption is not given, we will have to wait until next year to fully operate. It will devastate industry players here like myself. I have had to let go of eight workers since Covid-19 hit us early last year,” he said.
Syed Rizalman, who has been in the hospitality business for 12 years, said although the operating period is short, it would at least allow them to replenish their depleted savings after having to stretch their meagre funds throughout the pandemic.
Tourism Malaysia Domestic and Events Division senior director Iskandar Mirza Mohd Yusof said they were aware that industry players in Pulau Tioman were ready to offer activities to visitors and hoped they would be patient and wait for the good news from the National Security Council.
“As we all know, the people here depend mostly on tourism activities and with the reopening of the sector it will restart the local economy, subject to the strict standard operating procedures.
“We, however, seek the cooperation of both parties, the tourism operators and visitors, to ensure that the SOP is complied with for the good of all,” he said.
The media had previously reported that the government has agreed to reopen the tourism sector at several islands under a travel bubble programme, with Langkawi serving as the pilot project, starting Sept 16. – Bernama