LANGKAWI: The completion of the Langkawi International Airport terminal expansion project has added another piece to the puzzle as the island prepares to host this year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart.
Langkawi Development Authority's (LADA) chief executive officer Datuk Azizan Noordin today said the opening of the new terminal last Saturday was timely, as the island would be hosting the international travel trade exhibition from Sept 12 to 14.
“By hosting this event, we are carving another milestone in our effort to make Langkawi an international convention destination,” he told Bernama here, adding that the airport’s new look would provide a better first impression to tourists.
He said apart from the new airport, LADA, with the cooperation of several other government agencies, the private sector and tourism associations here had also taken steps to enhance the landscape around the island in preparation for the event.
“We have been making the necessary preparations for the event and to date, 120 delegates from 25 countries would be coming as (tour package) sellers, 275 from 66 countries as purchasers, while 20 foreign media organisations have also confirmed their participation,” he added.
Operation at the expanded terminal commenced last Saturday and the airport’s operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) was confident it will further facilitate passenger growth.
MAHB acting group chief executive officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin in a statement said the expansion project, which began in October 2017, has increased the airport’s capacity from 1.5 million passengers per annum (mppa) to 4 mppa.
“The expansion has increased the total gross floor area of LGK’s terminal building from 15,000 sqm to 23,000 sqm, and its facilities have also been upgraded to reduce congestion and improve operational efficiencies,” he said.
According to him, six airlines were currently operating from the airport with a combined weekly frequency of 238 flights, and several more foreign airlines had expressed their interest to operate here.
“It (the airport) would be in a better position to support Langkawi’s growth as a popular tourist destination, acting as a catalyst for its economic development, while helping to strengthen the country’s position as a preferred global hub,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kuah State Assemblyman, Mohd Firdaus Ahmad said the new airport terminal was another value-adding feature which would raise Langkawi’s image as an international tourism destination.
He said, however, the improvement in facilities alone would not be sufficient, as it would have to be accompanied with better services.
“Apart from the expansion of the airport terminal recently, the expansion of the Kuah Jetty Point was also completed last year, and this will put Langkawi in a better position to bring in more tourists,” he said.
Emphasising the fact that better services should go along with the improvement in infrastructure, he said the airport and jetty point were important gateways which would give tourists their first impressions about the island.
“The services (at the airport and jetty) will be the “wow” factor that will build the tourists first impression and if the services are bad… that will probably be the only occasion they come here,” he said.
Langkawi Business Association deputy president, Datuk Alexander Isaac, on the other hand, hailed the contractor of the airport expansion project for completing the project within the stipulated time, and ahead of the 2018 PATA Travel Mart.
He said the public should not expect everything to be in place immediately after the completion, and instead give some time to the airport authority to settle down and adjust to the new operating environment.
“Of course it will be ready to handle more travellers and the real challenge would come during the peak months, where the authorities would have to be more prepared,” he said.
In anticipation of a larger number of passengers, he said the airport authority would need to re-look at its crowd handling system and to weed out touting activities at the airport which would create a bad impression among tourists.
“Definitely it (the project) has made the airport even more beautiful, and I hope the airport authority and other parties involved will continue with their great job of maintaining good service,” he added.
Source: Bernama | 3 September 2018
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