GEORGE TOWN – DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng has lashed out to the government for painting a rosy picture of the nation’s tourism industry.
“How can the Tourism Ministry stick to its projection of 61.1% hotel occupancy for 2020 when the tourism industry faces RM100 billion in losses?
“The closure of Hotel Equatorial Penang shows that the Tourism Ministry’s projected 58.4% hotel occupancy rate for 2021 is patently absurd.
“Such false and unrealistic, rosy projections will damage public confidence that the government knows how to do its job and save our tourism industry,” he said in a statement.
The Vibes had yesterday reported that the Equatorial Hotel Penang in Bukit Jambul is calling it quits by March 31, as the tourism industry takes a beating from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Equatorial Hotel Penang was set up in 1990 to host a growing number of expatriates and tourists visiting the Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone and Bayan Baru satellite town.
The hotel has hosted former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during the latter’s tenure as deputy prime minister.
Meanwhile, Lim also questioned if the emergency declaration and subsequent suspension of Parliament, could help save the hotel and tourism industry.
“Despite announcing a revenue loss of RM100 billion last year, the Perikatan Nasional government has not done enough to help save the tourism industry.
“Not only hotels, but many travel agencies and bus operators have closed shop. If the basic infrastructure of tourism collapses or is closed, how can Malaysia benefit from the resurgence of the tourism industry," he said.
Lim, the former finance minister, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri seemed disillusioned when she said that she had approved new license applications from 135 companies and tourism operators last year.
“Previously, she said that 109 enterprises in the hotel sector and 95 travel agencies were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This does not make sense. Can Nancy tell us where the new travel agencies in Malaysia are?” said Lim. – The Vibes, January 26, 2021
