KELHOME

Just to attach a news from the star.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hotel operators should review their current room pricing to more appropriate levels, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She said she had heard from some foreign tourists that they were shocked to see hotels with good service and facilities charging low rates.

“An interesting thing is that when tourists who want to visit our country look at the competitive hotel prices, they will think that the services cannot be that good,” she said in calling on the hotel industry to reconsider its pricing.

“We must not undervalue ourselves,” she told reporters after a Tourism Malaysia meeting with 13 state directors yesterday.

She said hotel operators could perhaps have international and local room rates. Malaysians could get certain discounts by showing their MyKad, Dr Ng said.

She added that as long as hotels maintained their service, customers would keep coming back. She said the ministry had no right to decide on hotel room rates, but it would write to the Malaysian Association of Hotels and other industry players on the matter.

At the tourism directors’ meeting earlier, Dr Ng said the ministry aimed to strengthen tourism services.

“We will continue to have close collaboration with other ministries like the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry and Agriculture Ministry to coordinate our activities.”

Dr Ng said her ministry would also continue its 1Malaysia Fabulous Food Festival which had gained excellent response. She added that the ministry would also organise the first International Shoes Festival this year.

PS: Hoteliers should read this news. By the way, I wonder the response from Malaysian hoteliers. In my opinion, lower price is due to stiff competition among hoteliers. We are competing not only hotels, but homestay, guesthouses, budget hotels and vacation homes as well. Home owners convert their house for daily rent, make it as vacation homes or homestay. Their cost is very low. They charge at lower price and this is what travelers want. Some of my fellow businessman (in accommodations service) complain that local travelers ask for great services and facilities but at low price. Foreigners maybe don’t know about this. Then how could the minister come out with the idea to review the hotel price? Increase the rate may make hoteliers suffer.