Go On A Live Virtual Date With Crocodiles, Sunbears, Monkeys, And A Magician Too!
Malaysia’s tourism industry is adapting to the new normal to make ends meet.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest stories and updates.
Tourism without a doubt is one of the adversely affected sectors due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides a shortage of foreign visitors, the implementation of various Movement Control Order’s (MCO) has also put a damper on things by restricting domestic tourism.
The upside to the unfortunate cycle of events has forced the tourism industry to get innovative with how to monetise and at the same time, keep people engaged and interested.
Get up close and personal with Malaysia’s wildlife
Back in December during an already financially dire year for Zoo Negara, Lazada stepped in for an initiative to provide virtual tours to help raise funds and care for the animals in the zoo.
Although the event was free, viewers were invited to donate to the zoo during the stream.
Forward to the present day where the Melaka Crocodile and Recreational Park (TBRM), which relies solely on tourists and visitors, have also had to resort to their own online tour of the park as an initiative to keep the business going.
Online viewers can now take an educational tour of the park which is home to 100 crocodiles of various species. There are also other animals at the park including six species of snakes and mammals like racoons and deers.
The tour will be held every Friday to Sunday with two sessions each day via Google Meets. For a mere RM7, the session includes a crocodile feeding session too. Slots are limited so sign up here.
Support the animals and their caretakers!
Sites like Buddyz.co have emerged during the pandemic to provide unique activities and local experiences virtually.
One such experience is a virtual safari with a Bornean Sun Bear formally known as Helarctos malayanus.
The tour is hosted by the founder and CEO of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sandakan Dr Wong Siew Te (aka The Papa Bear) and will give you a closer look at the sun bear’s movement, natural habitat, and yes – you can interact with them!
The virtual experience package starts from RM40 / pax and is available every day at 9 am or 2 pm (excluding the 2 pm slot on Saturdays) with a group size of 4 to 10 ‘travellers’.
(Credit: Jo Leen / Buddyz)
Bears aren’t your thing? What about the dusky leaf monkey (dusky langur)? Join Jo Leen and her team of researchers at the Langur Project Penang (LPP) for a 3-hour fieldwork session!
Support people’s livelihoods in general
Another online platform that has adapted to the new normal while providing a side hustle for people to make money is Airbnb.
With their Airbnb Online Experiences platform, you can enjoy live, interactive activities led by expert Hosts. Go anywhere and learn anything—all from the comfort of your home.
Although there’s no option to filter activities by country, we did come across an event with internationally acclaimed Malaysian magician Andrew Lee. Voted as Malaysia’s No. 1 Magician, you can set a virtual date with him from RM120 per person.
Since everything is online anyway, why not expand the experience beyond our shores and level up your MCO cooking game with how to make Mexican street tacos with a professional chef in Mexico or get six-pack abs with Olympic pole vaulter Pauls Pujats from Latvia.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
