One place trying to make ends meet is ND Divers, a formerly thriving homestay and dive centre in the middle of the ocean in Sabah’s east coast Semporna district, once filled with a good mix of foreign guests from Europe and China, and domestic tourists from the peninsula.

The homestay now has to jostle with bigger diving operators for a select few visitors.

The owner, Armawan Afiq, also known as ND, said: “We are not a big operator but it’s a place where everybody can come to. People can bring their entire family and they can decide later whether they want to have a crack at diving.”

ND Divers is located on the Semporna strait, about a 15-minute boat ride from the district jetty. Armawan, 28, originally from Kuching, opened the homestay seven years ago.

He said that during the previous easing of lockdowns, only government servants like doctors stationed in the district and Tawau could afford to travel to places like his.

“The interstate travel ban has really affected the industry. Our clientele target has become smaller and smaller. With so few doctors around in the two districts, businesses like mine have had to clamour for these potential guests, resulting in a price war among ourselves.

“For a start, why not allow frontliners to travel during weekends, including from the peninsula, since many of them have already got two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine? They can boost tourism here,” he said.

Over in Penang, things have just been as difficult for Louis Lim, who has run Batu Ferringhi Water Sports since 2003 but which has been closed since the first movement control order in March last year.

His business is in an area not easily accessible by the public and relies on businesses from nearby hotels.

“We used to rent out jet skis and would run programmes such as banana boat and tubing activities, things towed by a speedboat. But without any guests, there’s been no point opening up.”

Instead, he has been carrying out maintenance work for other operators and private boat owners. “I fix engines, patch cracks, those sort of jobs.”

Lim, who is also the president of the Penang Watercraft Operators Association, said everyone was waiting for the lifting of travel bans so tourists can finally return.

“We’re all just looking at the government to see how they handle things. Hopefully, things can go back to normal soon,” he said.