COVID-19 Pandemic and the Malaysian Tourism

ABSTRACT

This chapter analyses the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the Malaysian tourism industry. The discussion starts with general development of global tourism, followed by the drastic changes in Malaysian tourism and the economic conditions before and during the pandemic. With support of updated statistics, this chapter further presents the disastrous strikes on domestic tourism value chain, hotel lines, and the aviation industry. The relevant policy responses and post-pandemic tourism recovery are also discussed for better understanding of the vulnerable ecosystem. This chapter concludes that the recovery is progressive along UNWTO's Scenario 1 (before or by 2023) but subjected to domestic policy efficacy and global responses, especially the availability and affordability of vaccines. This chapter recommends proactive short-term policy initiatives in preparing the sector and its value chain to be COVID secure, and then launching marketing campaigns. For long-term strategic planning, the government should look into initiating and building capacity of digitalisation in the sector. © 2022 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.