During the National Recovery Plan (NRP) period, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will focus on the business events industry, according to its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She stated that this was in keeping with the government's announcement that the domestic tourism sector would be opened as part of the NRP's third phase.

She said that there are 81 events planned this year, including 56 conventions and 24 fairs.

She stated, citing the WTC Kuala Lumpur, that conference centers might reopen, so promoting industry, and that the country has 19 convention centers that were used as PPV.

According to Nancy, the business events industry might create 25,000 jobs by 2030.

“With a high degree of compliance with safety and standard operating procedure, corporate events can be managed in a targeted manner for vaccinated delegates,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Nancy stated that the Motac-led Covid-19 Free Destination Program would continue to allow the principal tourism locations to reopen once the targeted herd immunity is attained.

She also stated that Motac was awaiting vaccine supplies in order to begin vaccination workers in the tourism sector and sub-sectors on Langkawi Island, the designated site for the program's pilot study.

She explained that Langkawi was chosen because it had international travel facilities and a population of 76,400 people, as well as the ability to quickly assess if the pioneering initiative could assist the tourism industry recovery.

Nancy, who also saw musicians from Istana Budaya and the National Culture and Arts Department perform at the WTC, said Motac hoped to have such performance at a number of PPV across the nation.