LANGKAWI – Prices for goods and services in the tourism sector should be maintained at a reasonable level in order to ensure a steady number of domestic tourists at holiday destinations.
This is especially since the country’s tourism sector is currently dependent on local tourists to bring the industry back on track following the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tourism Langkawi president Ahmad Pishol Isahak said that when tourist numbers increase, industry players are prone to hike up the prices of their products and services.
“But market forces should not be cited as an opportunity to raise prices of holiday packages including accommodation and food,” he said on the back of a networking session organised by the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) in collaboration with the Kedah government and Tourism Malaysia.
“It is because local tourists and expatriates are cautious of their spending due to a bearish economy, unstable political landscape and cost of public healthcare. If we hike prices, it would be a huge turn off for domestic tourists. We must strive to keep costs low and within the budget range of domestic tourists.
“If we can generate momentum and sustain it, the domestic market can soften the blow on our industry until international tourism reignites.”
Pishol said that since inter-district travel is permissible, most tourists preferred making use of homestays rather than boutique hotels, either because they wanted to save or simply because they could not afford more lavish accommodation.
“Hence, the recovery process is imbalanced, with only the budget segment showing positive trends,” he said, adding that in the meantime the main markets in Penang, the Klang Valley, and Johor remain lacklustre due to high infection rates.
Pishol also urged the Finance Ministry to improve on the tourism industry’s liquidity levels by putting more money into people’s hands so that they can travel and stimulate domestic consumption.
Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general (promotions) Datuk Musa Yusof urged the state tourism authorities to foster better cooperation in order to boost domestic tourism.
“We now have to think outside the box if we want tourism to rebound faster,” he said.
Musa said that Lada’s activities were a step in the right direction, and he urged other state agencies to follow suit.
Some 150 buyers and sellers were involved in the one-day networking session where various packages and services were on sale at the Bayview Langkawi property. – The Vibes, April 4, 2021
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