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By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, June 24: A two-tier pricing system for hotel rooms in Sarawak would be better than charging guests in US dollars, says Malaysia Association of Hotels Sarawak chairman John Teo.
Teo said in a statement today that he feels that it is not necessary to charge hotel room rates in US dollars, as the exchange rate fluctuates too much and foreigners are using the currency lesser these days.
Teo was responding to a news report on a suggestion to the government by the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (Maho) to allow them to charge foreign visitors in US dollars recently.
“Sarawak hotels can consider going for a two-tier pricing system. Foreign tourists can be charged at the full rate and as for Sarawakians or Malaysian, they can be charged at a lower rate, maybe 30 per cent cheaper,” he pointed out.
Teo added that this two-tier charging system was practiced in Malaysia’s neighboring countries like in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and others.
“As early as August 2022, Sarawak has already discussed this issue during our Sarawak Tourism Board Meeting,” Teo disclosed.
Meanwhile, Teo added that with Sarawak’s present hotel room rate, the revenue generated will only be enough only to sustain the running of the hotel, with no extra revenue left to improve hotel facilities or engage more staff.
A hotel will need to have 60 per cent and above room occupancy as well as a higher room rate in order to have the 10 to 20 per cent extra for facility maintenance and extra staffing to provide better services to serve tourists, he explained.
“Sarawak hotel room rates are just too low at the moment,” he said.
In order to have the hotel facilities and services comparable to hotel services offered overseas, Sarawak hotel room rates must be adjusted upwards, he claimed. — DayakDaily
