Bookings are likely to increase further as the country heads towards achieving herd immunity, said Eugene Dass, the Kedah-Perlis chairman of the Malaysian Association of Hotels.

Tourism minister Nancy Shukri has announced that the popular island destination will be opened to fully-vaccinated visitors from all states from Sept 16.

Dass said most hotels had done value-added tourism packages without dropping their rates too much.

“Saunas and spas are still off-limits but the rest of the facilities should be open, depending on the hotel operator. SOPs set by the government must be adhered to,” he said.

Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) president Uzaidi Udanis said hotels on the island have been receiving thousands of bookings for September until November.

Uzaidi said tour agents have also seen a rise in bookings for flights to Langkawi.

The MITA president encouraged the island to carry out more activities for tourists like island hopping, theme parks, and more, urging that visitors adhere to SOPs at all times.