GEORGE TOWN – Hotels in Penang are rebounding as tourism activities recommence after the pandemic, following the announcement that three new hotels will be introduced soon and the largest hospitality property in the state is scheduled to be ready by next month.
Malaysian Association of Hotels’ (MAH) Penang chapter chairman Tony Goh shared data that the hotels have enjoyed an average occupancy of close to 50% on weekdays and are almost full during the peak periods like public holidays.
This is considering some properties continue to remain closed or operate at half capacity due to the acute shortage of staff.
Two properties namely the Hotel Royal in George Town and Equatorial Hotel in Bukit Jambul remain shut.
However, the consolation is that the iconic Mutiara Beach Resort is scheduled to reopen, while IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced that it is partnering with STC Property Management Sdn Bhd, the developer of Penang’s Straits City, to bring the Crowne Plaza brand to Butterworth soon.
Also, The Almari will soon open its doors next to the Setia Spice Convention Centre in Bayan Baru with over 400 rooms.
But there are “speed bumps” that hoteliers need to navigate in Penang, namely the need to be cautious to avoid a room glut in view of the shortage of trained workers and the rising operational budgets, said Goh in an interview.
There are now over one million rooms registered in Penang among MAH members. Those operating homestays and budget accommodations are not part of the list.
Granted that the rising living costs also affect the hotels, Goh said that operators now must deal with at least a 10% to 20% increase in salary pay out, especially in critical sections such as housekeeping, front-of-house and kitchens.
As for workers, Goh said that 11 MAH members have agreed to work with a foreign worker agency to bring in staffers from Nepal next month.
“This will alleviate the shortage, but it is just a stopgap measure,” he said
Goh wants highly trained hoteliers to dominate the positions available so the service quality to the guests is always top-notch.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow officiated at the Granite Luxury Hotel.
Chow said that Penang is lucky to be surrounded by many wonderful, award-winning places of interest.
“And they are all an asset to our tourism industry and development here. We are blessed to live in a state with much tourism potential and it is incumbent on us to return its shine despite the past two years of Covid-19 hardships,” said Chow. – The Vibes, July 30, 2022
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