Since reopening, the Langkawi tourism bubble project saw 38,000 tourist arrivals and helped the holiday island generate more than RM15 million in revenue. After being closed off for more than 18 months, the northern vacation spot was seeing many hotels and retail shops facing with a imminent closure. However, with the country's immmunisation rate reaching the 90% level, the government decided to pilot a tourism bubble project with Langkawi. Among the conditions listed for the bubble was that the traveling was only for those vaccinated, either by flight or registered tour buses. Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry which oversaw the project, had also informed all parties to follow SOP's like masks being worn at all times in public and to strictly adhere to the rules. The Ministry added that upon monitoring the situation for 2 weeks after reopening, will there be decisions made for other destinations. Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the number was higher than the initial target of 30,000 people and was considered very encouraging. "We hope to announce the state border reopening soon and before that announcement, we could open tourism bubble elsewhere," There is also consideration of allowing foreign tourist to Langkawi, making it the first international tourism bubble destination in the country. She added, that there could be proposals to arrange tourism bubble with other nations as curently Langkawi does have international flight including Qatar Airways that flies directly into the island. Meanwhile, Langkawi Development Authority CEO Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib said of the 38,748 tourists who arrived at the resort island, 26,377 people arrived via Langkawi International Airport, while another 7,480 people arrived via Kuah Jetty. Nasaruddin added if the number of tourist arrivals could be maintained, it was not impossible that the government's target of receiving around 400,000 tourists by December could be achieved.
