With most hotels along the beachfront, including budget accommodations by the hills recording near full capacity, the town seems to be getting back to business as usual.
But driving down the main road along the seaside resort, there are some signs of wounds from the pandemic.
A famous hawker centre appears to be closed for good, while a marketplace have been torn down.
The Holiday Inn, a Batu Ferringhi mainstay for 41 years, shuttered last June and is now up for sale.
The other beachfront hotels, which were running on their last legs, had their respite this week as rooms were snapped up quickly. Many people were on the beach, while hotels carefully monitored their movements with cordons on the beachfront.
The Penang government says 50,000 tourists are expected to enter the island this weekend, and the arrival in large numbers of people might be a challenge for some hotels.
Malaysian Association of Hotels Penang chapter chairman K Raj Kumar said with bookings for Batu Ferringhi beachfront hotels hitting 90% this weekend, hoteliers are struggling to find workers.
He said the pressing need for manpower also arises from the expected crowds during the upcoming public holidays such as Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday next Tuesday and Deepavali on Nov 4.
Raj said the other concern was dining, especially breakfast, as most hotels are forced to limit dining areas to 50% seating capacity to comply with physical distancing guidelines.
He said this dine-in limitation would contrast sharply with the rise in guest numbers.
“We also expect all hotels to see occupancy jump well beyond 50% from now on. Even before the interstate travel ban was lifted, it was about 40%.
“Our primary concern now is to ensure that all guests are fully vaccinated and meet the requirements to comply with the rules set by the National Security Council.
“Masks are mandatory and that needs to be followed through by all,” he said.
In further reassuring tourists, a resort in Batu Ferringhi has introduced free Covid-19 insurance for all guests. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort is offering US$100 a day in the event a guest gets hospitalised due to Covid-19 infection, following their stay at the resort.