News

COVID-19: Strategy By Hotel Operators To Keep Business Going

MELAKA, Oct 16  l—The third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the country about a week ago has caused hotel operators, who are dependent on tourism activities, to formulate new strategies to meet challenges.

A survey by Bernama in Bandar Hilir here, which is a popular tourist destination in Peninsular Malaysia, found that many hotels are offering various special packages for accommodation, venue for the meeting, and food to attract domestic tourists to stay at their premises.

For example, Hotel Lacrista Melaka in Jalan Hang Tuah here is offering a ‘Breakout Package’ which is a long-term accommodation for a double room at a special price and also includes free laundry service for its guests, as well as credit facilities for those eating and drinking at the hotel’s coffee house.

Its managing director, Datuk Rosthman Ibrahim said to enjoy the facilities, guests should stay at the hotel for at least seven nights.

This is to ensure the hotel can continue to remain in business despite the economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19, he added.

Lacrista Melaka Hotel began operation on Jan 1 this year. It was formerly the Avillion Legacy Hotel.

Rosthman said following the change in management, facilities, and rooms at the hotel have been improved to provide a more comfortable stay for guests.

Following the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO), the hotel was closed from March 18 until June 10 when it resumed operations.

For this month (October), he expected Hotel Lacrista Melaka to suffer a loss of more than 60 percent from the targeted sales projection but was confident the situation would recover after the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Putrajaya ended.

Meanwhile, Hatten Hotel Melaka general manager Datuk Chuck Kassim said introducing packages that provide longer stay, specifically to comply with standard operating procedures on physical distancing, are among strategies implemented to boost the hotel’s occupancy rate.

“We do not know when this pandemic will end and this is one of the immediate strategies we are implementing to attract domestic tourists as the Singapore tourism market is severely affected currently due to the closure of the border,” he said.

Last Saturday, Bernama reported that the hospitality sector in the country is facing another tough period following the new wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The report quoted the Malaysian Hotels Association (MAH) chief executive officer Yap Lip Seng as saying that there would be a drop of about 15 percent in the accommodation rate of hotels for the next two to three weeks,  involving a loss of between RM60 million to RM100 million.

He also said that from a survey conducted, it was found that the country’s hospitality sector would suffer losses of about RM6.3 billion this year.

Sources:  BERNAMA

 

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Your September–October Watchlist: Food, Drama & Frights

Mark your calendars, TV junkies. September & October are serving drama, food wars, and spooky… Read More

12 hours ago

Pandora Talisman Drops, Ancient Coin Energy Meets Modern Vibes

Pandora is flipping the script this autumn with the launch of Pandora Talisman, a jewellery… Read More

15 hours ago

LADA Unveils ‘Langkawi Special Deals’ with MAG Partnership to Supercharge Island Tourism

The Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) has launched “Langkawi Special Deals”, a strategic tourism campaign featuring… Read More

15 hours ago

Maxim Rolls Out Partner-Driver Legalization Program to Elevate Compliance and Road Safety

Maxim, one of Malaysia’s leading e-hailing platforms, has officially introduced a Partner-Driver Legalization Program designed… Read More

16 hours ago

Sabah Crowned Malaysia’s Favourite Destination, A Paradise of Peaks, Seas, and Culture Awaits!

Sabah, located in the north-eastern part of Borneo, has officially earned the title of Malaysia’s… Read More

16 hours ago

Coca‑Cola Brings Back ‘Share a Coke’ Now With a Proudly Malaysian Twist

This Merdeka, Coca‑Cola is turning up the nostalgia and the local flavour. The iconic ‘Share… Read More

1 day ago

This website uses cookies.