JOHOR BARU: Hotels here are expecting to see an increase in occupancy rates in the coming weeks as school holidays begin in Singapore next month.
They said Johor’s proximity to Singapore makes it an ideal holiday spot for families reluctant to fly to faraway destinations amid global fuel concerns.
“Due to the energy crisis, many people, including Singaporeans, are rethinking travelling far for holidays and are more keen on coming here instead,” said Malaysian Association of Hotels Johor chapter chairman Ivan Teo.
“We have already noticed this over the last few weekends, especially during the Labour Day weekend.”
Although bookings have yet to pick up, he said hotels are projecting an encouraging spike based on the occupancy over the last few weekends.
“Many visitors tend to book closer to their travel date,” he noted.
He said hotels also anticipate more bookings for the mid-year school holidays in Malaysia towards the end of this month.
“Locals are also opting not to travel too far away. So they are likely to travel within the country,” Teo said.
Malaysia Budget and Business Hotels Association Johor chapter chairman Jarod Chia echoed similar views.
“Yes, based on the trends we have seen in the past, including over the last few weeks, we expect to see more people coming during the school holidays.”
However, he also noted that many people are getting more cautious about spending and may skip a vacation altogether.
