KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — The announcement by the government in allowing inter-district and interstate travels involving green zone states from this Sunday will revive the domestic tourism industry, which has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She was also confident that the decision would ease the concern of tourism service operators, such as hotels and resorts, tour guides, home stays and tourism products, who lost their sources of income during the difficult times.

As such, she hoped that people from green zones would use this opportunity to travel domestically, besides using the services of local travel agents.

"This opportunity should also be used as best as possible by industry players with interesting travel promotions and offers in line with the new normal and SOP (standard operating procedure) to attract tourists,” she said as a guest on the Ruang Bicara live talk show programme on Bernama TV tonight.

The government today agreed to allow inter-district and interstate travels involving green zone states and districts.

Following the latest development, Nancy said the SOP with regard to tourism was being updated as there were some minor amendments that needed to be made on the advice of the National Security Council (MKN), adding that the new SOP list was expected to be uploaded on the ministry’s official website in two days’ time.

She said the ministry would also carry out engagement sessions with industry players to discuss and ensure the permission given to travel would be fully utilised to revive the tourism sector. — Bernama