KOTA BHARU, March 28 — The Kelantan state government is providing a special allocation of RM500,000 to help tourism industry operators in the state affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

State Unity, Culture, Heritage and Tourism committee chairman Major (Rtd) Datuk Md Anizam Ab Rahman said RM500 to RM1,000 special one-off assistance will be distributed to artists, hotel operators, tour guides and tour boat operators.

"The assistance to tourism industry operators will ease their burden following the Covid-19 outbreak as they depend solely on domestic tourists.

"For the first phase today, we have allocated RM238,000 that will be given to 155 recipients while the second phase will be distributed in early April,” he told reporters after a Covid-19 special aid presentation ceremony here today.

Commenting further, Anizam said allowing inter-district travel was a timely break for tourism industry operators to continue their business and tourism activities according to the set standard operating procedures (SOP).

"On weekends like yesterday, we can see most hotels and tourist spots filled with domestic tourists. But what is important is that we need to comply with the SOP outlined by the government, if we feel feverish, have cough or feel unwell, we should not visit these places,” he said. — Bernama