Crowds of tourists visiting Langkawi Sky Bridge and enjoying the beach at Pantai Cenang in Langkawi (below). — File photos
HOTELIERS in Langkawi are enjoying a year-end surge driven by the island’s usual holiday rush, it is not a spillover from flood-hit Hat Yai.
Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa Langkawi sales and marketing director Norsidah Ahmad said bookings had climbed for the usual reasons, and not due to the flooding tragedy in southern Thailand.
She said school and festive holidays were key drivers, along with a chartered flight from Poland operating since Oct 31 and will run until March.
The service has boosted occupancy in four- and five-star beachfront hotels.
Several airlines increased their Langkawi frequency from weekly to daily, helping maintain market share among travellers from India, the Middle East and Europe.
Visa-free travel for China and India visitors continue to support demand.
“Most dates are already over 80% booked, and several days in December and January are fully booked,” Norsidah added.
The uptick is not limited to full-service hotels, as budget operators are reporting the same holiday rush.
Pantai Tengah budget hotel owner Nur Atirah Abdul Nasir said all 22 of her rooms were fully booked to the end of the school break.
“Most of my guests are foreigners,” she said.
She added that the Hat Yai floods had no bearing on her bookings, which were driven by Langkawi’s pull as a destination during the festive season.
Hospitality and tourism player Datuk Alexander Isaac said many four- and five-star hotels were running at about 95% occupancy.
He said local visitors had secured their stays early for the holidays.
He noted that tourism activities were rebounding as well.
“Sunset cruises and other water activities had many cancellations last month because of bad weather, but are performing very well now.”
He said the Hat Yai floods were unlikely to be a factor, as December was already a strong period for domestic travel.
“Foreign tourists have started arriving and we hope to see even more in 2026,” he added.
Malaysian Association of Hotels Kedah and Perlis chapter chairman Eugene Dass said December had always been a strong month for the island.
“It is good to see hotels expecting high occupancy, as in past years. Member hotels are ready to welcome guests,” he said, adding that the trend showed Langkawi remained an attractive choice for travellers.
