Hygiene safety label for Malaysia’s tourism industry

Bureau Veritas Malaysia has launched Travel Safe Malaysia in partnership with The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA). The Travel Safe Malaysia Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label will support operational restart activities for the country’s tourism industry.

The Travel Safe Malaysia programme, supported by the tourism ministry, will be offered to all MATTA members in Malaysia. It will be conducted through field audits to ensure appropriate health, safety and hygiene procedures and processes are followed in line with globally recognised practices.

MATTA president Tan Kok Liang argues that new tourism strategies must be implemented to create travel demand in accordance with the government’s safety and health protocols, saying “Putting greater focus on health and safety in travel demands could be significant to all stakeholders, as it can be an opportunity for reflection and reinvention towards a better and more sustainable tourism future. The positioning of Malaysia as a safe country will encourage future travellers to choose Malaysia, once travelling resumes with borders being opened to international visitors.”

The tourism ministry has also launched the Safe2Spa Jom Spa campaign to help the local spa industry recover. 10,000 discount vouchers worth RM30 each will be distributed to customers at all spas and foot massage centres under the supervision of the Association of Malaysian Spas (Amspa) and the Malaysian Association of Wellness and Spa (Mawspa) in conjunction with the campaign, which will run until March 31. Customers can redeem the RM30 discount with a minimum spend of RM60 in a single transaction receipt.

The tourism ministry is urging all spa and wellness operators to adhere to the standard operating procedure set out by the National Security Council and to adapt to the new norms. New detailed standard operating procedures for tourism sub-sectors, now include spa, wellness centres, health and beauty centres, reflexology and massage premises.