MAH Penang chapter chairman Raj Kumar said some of the hotels in Penang that have been on minimal operation mode over the past few months are preparing to accept more bookings. — Picture by Steven KE OoiGEORGE TOWN, May 1 — Some hotels in Penang are rehiring as they reopen fully to try and gain as much business as possible in the coming months, according to the Penang chapter of the Malaysian Association of Hoteliers .
Raj said the hotels have to plan ways to promote their rooms to travellers from other states once interstate travel is allowed. “Some are allowing their staff to work three days and take four days unpaid leave each week so the staff can work part-time elsewhere to supplement their income,” he said. Surprisingly, hotel occupancy rates are recovering, especially for beachfront hotels along Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Bungah, he said.
As for hotels based in the heritage zone and the city, many are still seeing very low occupancy rates as both business travellers and locals would not choose to stay in these hotels.