LANGKAWI: Authorities and industry players have rubbished claims that Langkawi’s tourism industry suffered a slump during the Malaysia Day school holidays, calling the reports “misleading.”
Despite suggestions of low hotel occupancy and declining arrivals, checks at the Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis ferry terminals showed strong traffic to the island even as the holiday period drew to a close.
Langkawi resident Ahmad Ikhtidar Ikhsan Jamili, 27, said securing ferry tickets was a challenge.
“I booked early, knowing it would be tough, and even then, tickets filled up quickly. The terminals were crowded as expected,” he said at the Kuala Perlis terminal.
Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd operations manager Norhafiz Abdul Wahid said more than 100,000 travellers were expected during the holidays, with 118 additional trips mounted to cater to demand.
“Most of our trips are almost fully booked. We are also extending operating hours and may add more trips if needed,” he added.
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Kedah and Perlis chairman Eugene Dass clarified that the much-publicised occupancy rates as low as 52% only reflected a limited number of hotels in Kuah and certain beach areas, and were compiled before the school break began.
Langkawi Homestay Association chairman Mokhtar Shabudin Ismail also described the negative reports as inaccurate, saying homestay bookings remained steady.
Langkawi Deputy Police Chief Supt. Samsulmuddin Sulaiman confirmed that visitor arrivals were high, with police increasing patrols and monitoring to ensure public safety.
The Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) said both ferry and flight arrivals were encouraging, with official data to be released soon.
As of August this year, Langkawi had recorded 2,018,153 tourist arrivals, up 2.64% from the 1,964,814 recorded in the same period last year.
From Sept 1 to 16, arrivals at Kuah ferry terminal rose by 22.43%, Langkawi Port saw a 27.86% increase, while domestic flight arrivals climbed 10% and international flights jumped 23%.
A Lada spokesperson said the agency would be issuing a statement soon to clarify the island’s actual tourism performance.
