Image credit: Caradonna Adventures
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism industry players must strategise their target markets and be more dynamic in catering to the limited domestic market post-Covid-19.
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) chief executive officer Yap Lip Seng said the industry's initial analysis showed a hike in demand from local holiday-goers for weekend travel.
He said although the trend to travel during the weekends was higher, domestic tourists spent much less than foreign tourists and as such, the industry had lowered its expectations.
"In preparation for the recovery of tourism, starting with the domestic market, the industry has had multiple discussions on how and what to expect.
"Ever since the government eased restrictions on interstate travel, the industry saw two main groups of travellers — business and couples, as well as small families, both on smaller budgets.
"What the industry did not expect was a sharp spike in demand for weekends at beach and resort destinations that do not require air travel. Certain destinations were able to command reasonably high room rates due to higher demand.
"On the other end, many people also postponed or cancelled international travel due to the pandemic. This particular group is on a significantly higher budget, and will expect more from their travels."
On what Malaysians expected from the hospitality industry, Yap said they prioritised high hygiene and safety.
He said the largest demand was for swimming pools to be reopened at hotels.
"Prior to the government's announcement that the hotel pools were allowed to operate only from July 1, we received a lot of feedback from travellers specifically wanting to use the pools.
"This observation, as well as the increase in demand for beach resorts, shows the need for leisure activities. The differentiating factor in the selection of a hotel at times like this would be its complementing facilities and location.
To improve hospitality services, especially in hotels, he said MAH had launched the "Clean and Safe Malaysia" programme.
It focuses on hygiene and safety of hotels in compliance with the standard operating procedure to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
He said MAH was also collaborating with other industry players such as airlines, travel agents, as well as meeting and event organisers to create demand and send a clear message that the industry was SOP-compliant.
Malaysian Bumiputera Association of Tour and Travel Agents hopes that Malaysians would book their holiday packages through local tour and travel agencies instead of major online booking platforms.
Its president, Mohd Ali Ab Malek, said only 10 to 15 per cent of Malaysians booked their holidays through local tour agencies.
"Even before the pandemic, most Malaysians preferred to book their hotels and flight tickets via online booking platforms. Our travel and tour agencies do have their own websites, however they are not fully used by local travelers.
"I hope they will book their holiday packages through local agencies as it is more secure, caters to what they need and they can visit new places at a fraction of the price.
"If they face any problems, the agencies can assist them unlike online booking platforms."
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/07/610016/be-dynamic-catering-domestic-tourists-industry-players-told