Hotels offering deals for upcoming celebrations

PETALING JAYA: Holidaymakers can expect hotels to churn out special celebration offers ranging from room rate discounts to food and beverage deals and even gifts for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, says the Malaysian Association of Hotels.

While this period would be very different compared to previous years, its chief executive officer Yap Lip Seng said hotels would likely scale down activities and not organise large-scale events.

“The focus will be compliance with standard operating procedure and also delivering the best service to guests, especially festive food promotions, ” he said when contacted.

Yap said travellers must be reminded that the current SOP was expected to be extended judging from the situation.

“The Chinese New Year period is traditionally a peak period with influx of domestic and international tourists, particularly mainland Chinese”, he said.

“But this year, volume is likely to drop and impact revenue.”

Malaysian Association Of Tour And Travel Agents president Datuk Tan Kok Liang said people were still being cautious and monitoring the situation closely.

“But there was a slight boost during the year-end holidays. Usually, there is high occupancy during the Chinese New Year period and there would be a shortage of rooms.

“Now people would book rooms at the last minute, ” he said, adding that the Malaysian tourism industry depended very much on foreign tourists with 30 million arrivals a year pre-Covid-19.

Separately, Apple Vacations group managing director Datuk Seri Koh Yock Heng said he proposes that the government give out domestic travel vouchers worth RM100 to every Malaysian citizen as part of a short-term tourism recovery plan.

“These vouchers can be used in hotels, tourist spots, souvenir shops, restaurants, pay for transport and tour agencies so that all parties can benefit, ” he said.

Swiss Garden Beach Resort Kuantan director of sales and marketing Linda Evelyn Wong said the resort had received many enquiries ahead of the festive season.

“We are optimistic and look forward to an increase in number of guests in view of Chinese New Year celebrations, ” she said.