A woman takes pictures of a child with stewardesses as they leave to Phuket from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), as the country reopens its borders fully to allow entry without quarantine for visitors vaccinated against COVID-19 in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
Malaysia fully reopened its borders on Friday, dropping quarantine requirements for people vaccinated against COVID-19 after two years of strict travel restrictions.
The Southeast Asian nation has maintained some of the tightest entry curbs in the region to try to contain coronavirus outbreaks, with most foreign nationals barred from entry and returning Malaysians required to undergo quarantine.
A flight carrying 140 passengers from Indonesia to Kuala Lumpur was greeted with a water salute after touching down.
Travellers walk at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), as the country reopens its borders fully to allow entry without quarantine for visitors vaccinated against COVID-19 in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
"Because of the pandemic, it's been hard but finally I've managed to get on a plane after so long. And it's nice that we are being greeted so warmly here," said Ikrima Irza Fatika, 19, an Indonesian traveller visiting the capital.
The reopening of borders marks the start of the country's transition to the endemic phase of COVID-19, the government has said, and comes as neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand also drop most travel restrictions.
Malaysia is expecting to attract two million tourists this year following the lifting of curbs, tourism minister Nancy Shukri said, according to state news agency Bernama.
Travellers disembark from an airplane from Jakarta, Indonesia at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), as the country reopens its borders fully to allow entry without quarantine for visitors vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
(Reporting by Ebrahim Harris; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and Nick Macfie)
Stewardesses welcome a woman and toddler, as they disembark from an airplane from Jakarta, Indonesia at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), as the country reopens its borders fully to allow entry without quarantine for visitors vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainA traveller pushes a luggage trolly at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), as the country reopens its borders fully to allow entry without quarantine for visitors vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, April 1, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
