IPOH: Pulau Pangkor will open to fully vaccinated tourists as part of the travel bubble once all required conditions are fulfilled, says Perak tourism committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammad Radzi.

       She said for now, the island has yet to fulfil some of the compulsory requirements, and that the state government was working on them.

       “I am working closely with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to ensure that all the required conditions are fulfilled as soon as possible.

       “So once we get the green light from the ministry, as well as the National Security Council, the island will be included in the travel bubble,” she said in response to the initiative to expand three new destinations – Melaka, Pulau Tioman and Genting Highlands.

       The three locations will be given two weeks to make the necessary preparations before reopening.

       Pangkor is part of the ministry’s Covid-19 Free Destination Programme, which also includes Redang, Perhentian and Tioman.

       Nolee added that among the conditions that needed attention before the opening of the island concerned preparation of operators, crowd control, checks on digital vaccination certificates and Covid-19 screening at the entry points.

       “We also need to coordinate the number of residents who have been vaccinated on the island, which is being done before a report is presented to the ministry.

       “We are trying our best to get all the necessary work done fast, so that we are able to open the island to fully vaccinated tourists even before our Nov 1 target,” she added.