LANGKAWI: The monitoring of compliance with the COVID-19 prevention standard operating procedure (SOP) for the reopening of the Langkawi tourism industry from tomorrow has been divided into three zones that focus on tourist hotspots.

Langkawi Travel Bubble Task Force chairman Saiful Anwar Azmi said the first zone involved the area from Kuah town to Ayer Hangat, second zone involved the area from Ayer Hangat to Pantai Kok, while the third zone from Pantai Kok to Pantai Tengah.

"In these zones, there are locations or tourism products that are often the focus of the public. We divide them by zone so that it will be easy for SOP compliance monitoring to be carried out.

"The SOP compliance monitoring team, for example, the police, will monitor tourist locations according to the zone and they will ensure that all COVID-19 and travel bubble SOPs are complied with," he said when met by reporters here today.

He was asked to comment on preparations related to monitoring SOP compliance among tourists who will visit Langkawi following the reopening of the island under the travel bubble pilot project starting tomorrow.

He said, among the locations or tourism products that are usually the focus of tourists in Langkawi include Kuah Jetty Terminal, Dataran Lang, shopping malls, duty-free premises, airports, sports and recreation centres as well as beaches.

Meanwhile, Saiful Anwar, who is also the Langkawi district officer, said six sub-committees were established under the Langkawi Travel Bubble Task Force which would play a role in ensuring that the tourism bubble pilot project ran smoothly and successfully.

He said the sub-committees were the Pandemic Committee; Enforcement and Security Committee; Entry Points Control Committee; Tourism Committee; Urban Beautification Committee and Community Committee.

"Various agencies are involved in these committees, including government agencies, statutory bodies and non-governmental bodies ... (We hope) Langkawi will be the best tourism destination, not only in the country but in the world," he said.

Last Sunday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was reported to have said that all government and private sector agencies, statutory bodies and associations in Langkawi given the role and responsibility in ensuring the Langkawi travel bubble pilot project a success, have to report their activities to the task force.

-- BERNAMA