KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Organizers of the Malaysian International Furniture Fair being held here from March 6-9 said they have no plans to delay or cancel the show due to rising fears over the coronavirus.
In a statement issued Jan. 30, show organizer Informa Markets said, “Malaysia remains a safe travel destination. The Malaysian government, including its Health Ministry and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is closely monitoring the situation and has taken preventative actions and measures against the Novel Coronavirus. We encourage all participants, particularly those who have recently traveled to China to monitor their health and to seek immediate medical attention should they feel unwell or show any related symptoms.”
Show organizers also noted that Malaysian authorities remain on high alert and have raised protective measures in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines to “safeguard travelers’ well being.”
The virus became a health concern starting in December in the Wuhan region of China, which is in the Hubei province due west of Shanghai.
In response to the situation, travel has been restricted in China, and many airlines also have curtailed flights to the region.
MIFF organizers said the Malaysian government has temporarily suspended immigration visas including eNTRY (facility without visa), Visa on Arrival (VOA) e-visa and manual visas to all China nationals from Wuhan city and the surrounding Hubei province.
The show said it will continue to update visitors of any new developments.
The show typically attracts about 20,000 visitors, including about 6,000 from 130 other countries and regions, including China. Of last year’s attendance, it said that visitor traffic was up significantly from North American and the Far East, while traffic was stable from Southeast Asia, South Asia, Australia, Europe Africa and South America.
Due to the health scare, which is now deemed a global health crisis by the World Health Organization, organizers of the March 18-21 Shenzhen and Guangzhou furniture shows have delayed their show dates until further notice.
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