BUTTERWORTH – It is important for Malaysia to keep its number of Covid-19 cases at a manageable level, as this has a direct impact on the number of inbound tourists when borders reopen, said Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang chapter chairman K. Raj Kumar.
At present, the countries that are most attractive to tourists are Singapore, Laos, and Vietnam, due to them keeping their Covid-19 case numbers under control, the hotelier added.
He said that the number of Covid-19 cases in each country has a bearing on their respective tourism outlook as visitors will certainly opt for nations with a low number of cases.
“Like it or not, this is how tourists will begin to access us regardless of our marketing plans or how great an attraction or packages that we have. We must ensure that the number of Covid-19 cases is manageable,” Raj told The Vibes.
Malaysia has in excess of 324,000 Covid-19 cases – of which 1,200 are fatalities – since figures were tabulated from last March about a year ago.
Given that 70% of the world’s population should be vaccinated before global tourism can commence fully, the hotelier said that Malaysia must now take the opportunity to fight the pandemic effectively.
“The nation should also aim to restore confidence among travellers with policies which are friendly to the industry and tourists. We must be able to handle adversity,” said Raj.
Meanwhile, the association head extended the appreciation of all Penang hoteliers to the state government for offering a moratorium on assessments, land taxes, water charges, and licensing fees.
He added that there are exemptions which hotels are seeking that should be seriously considered by the government, which includes waivers on electricity charges, tourism taxes, and extensions of the loan moratorium for those in the travel sector till December.
Raj also expressed hope that the Finance Ministry will incentivise the public sector by channelling special allowances for them to travel, including encouraging them to hold meetings in other states. The hotelier added that priority should be given to frontliners who have already been vaccinated to travel.
MAH said that based on the current projections, the tourism industry is expected to get back on track by March next year following the completion of the vaccination drive.
Raj urged hotel owners who are struggling to operate their properties to liaise closely with MAH. “We understand that everybody is burdened by the pandemic, but we must also be proactive.”
MAH does not encourage any hotel closure – neither temporarily nor permanently – in view of the adverse impact it would have on the hospitality industry, in addition to dampening the revival of the tourism industry, he said.
“What can be done is for assistance to be provided – including allowing the hotels to undertake alternative business segments, such as events.” – The Vibes, March 15, 2021
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