THERE is a need for tighter enforcement on illegal temporary accommodations which are increasing as tourism picks up following the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the newly re-elected Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) vice-president Datuk Khoo Boo Lim, there are both the illegal homestays and the accommodation sharing services provider - Airbnb which have mushroomed but have a scintillating effect on hotels in the country.
It is believed that there are 350,000 registered hotel rooms in the country, of which an additional half more may be in the category of unregulated homestays.
"We welcome healthy competition such as Airbnb but there must be a level playing field. They also need to be regulated with proper fire and safety checks," said Khoo in his maiden interview since he reassumed his post.
A veteran hotelier, Khoo said that there is now concern that more developers are using the Airbnb concept to market their projects to new buyers.
"The online world is filled with new condominium projects which offer investors a chance to buy, rent it out to tenants and to make returns from the rentals."
The developers would sell the units, lease it back for Airbnb and the rental is shared between them as operators and with the unit owners, he said.
"This way, developers need not build a hotel where the conditions are higher and pricier. They just become leaseholders."
The local authorities need to clamp down on such arrangements, said Khoo.
He hopes that tighter enforcement can also be done throughout the country.
While praising Penang for taking the initiative to regulate Airbnb operators, the former E & O Hotel executive said that enforcement needs to be strict, and strata titled management corporations need to prevent their members from leasing out the units.
He hopes that tighter enforcement can be done ahead of next year's Visit Malaysia Year campaign, where much hope is pinned on inbound tourism making a mark.
This is in view that the country's economy is sluggish with the global trade uncertain due to the prevailing and punitive import tariffs imposed by the United States (US).
One avenue to cope with the negativity of the uncertainty, is to boost domestic consumption and to lure more tourists over, who can help the country earn foreign currency , said Khoo.
Khoo also urged tourism planners to conduct targeted marketing by focusing more on luring tourists, who are willing to splurge during their vacations.
"While all forms of tourists are welcome, including the budget - conscious types, there is a need for tourists to spend more because operational costs have gone up, especially wages in view of the growing inflation, especially from food imports," he said. - May 31, 2025.
๐ ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ (๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ-๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ด ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ )
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐: Datin Christina Toh, Dorsett Kuala Lumpur
โ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐:
1. Shirley Lai, Sfera Residence Kuala Lumpur City Centre
2. Lim Choong Sean, Legoland Hotel
3. Datuk Khoo Boo Lim, Macalister Terraces
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น: Datuk Megat Shahrul Azman Abas,
FELDA Residence Hot Springs
โ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น: Maggie Ong Mooi Kee, MH Hotel Ipoh
โ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐:
1. ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ต & ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐น๐ถ๐: Eugene Dass, Star City Hotel Alor Setar
2. ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ด: Datuk Tony Goh, St. Giles Wembley Premier Hotel
3. ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ธ: Tony Wong, 1969 Business Suites
4. ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ผ๐ฟ: Datin Jasmine Abdullah Heng, Dorsett Grand Subang
5. ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ ๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ: B E Lim, The Gardens – a St Giles Signature Hotel and Residences
6. ๐ก๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ป: Haziz Hassan, Sutera Hotel
7. ๐ ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฎ: Khairulnizam Kasim, Kings Hotel
8. ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ: Ivan Teo, Millesime Hotel
9. ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด: Charles Peter, Shahzan Hotel Kuantan
10. ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐: Hajah Suaibah Harun, Primula Beach Hotel
11. ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ป: Gan Yeong Shuoh, Grand Riverview Hotel
12. ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ธ: John Teo, Meritz Hotel Miri
13. ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ต & ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐ฎ๐ป: Hafizan Wong, Promenade Hotel Kota Kinabalu
โ
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