PENANG, which received nearly 30,000 visitors in the first week of the resumption of interstate travel, must ensure continued compliance with Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) to ensure sustainability, state exco for tourism and creative economy Yeoh Soon Hin said.

Between October 11, when the ban on interstate travel was lifted, and October 19, Penang saw 27,059 visitors at 14 of its tourist attractions, figures from the Penang Tourist Attraction Operators Association showed.

Hotel occupancy rates throughout the state also went up, Yeoh said, citing the Malaysian Hotel Association.

The occupancy rates for that period were 65% in hotels in Prai, 75% in beach hotels, 50% in hotels in Bayan Lepas, and 45% in accommodation in George Town.

In the Unesco World Heritage city of George Town, occupancy rates hovered around 70%.

“The tourists were mostly from other states,” Yeoh told The Malaysian Insight.

“It is critical that Covid-19 SOPs are observed and enforced so that tourism activities can be sustained.”

The state government will not tolerate non-compliance with the SOPs even as the country moves into Covid-19 endemicity, he said.

All business owners know the SOPs such as checking visitors’ digital vaccination certificates, ensuring MySejahtera check-ins, regular disinfection of public areas, double-masking, and providing hand sanitiser, he added.

“The state government also requires self-screening for employees twice a week and encourages businesses to use an online booking mechanism to control the flow of people.

“As for tourists, we encourage them to do self-screening before visiting Penang and to double-mask when in public places,” Yeoh said.

Budget hotels still struggling

While the statistics are looking up, they do not appear to be benefitting small and medium-sized hotels.

Malaysia Budget Hotel Association Penang chairman Lim Mee Lee said visitors to the state were flocking to the bigger resorts and hotels on the beach, adding that half of the beach lodgings were almost full.

“We have waited so long for the re-opening of cross-border tourism. But although Penang is a popular tourist attraction, we cannot rely on local tourists alone. They come for only one or two days on the weekends. We need international tourists,” said Lim.

He urged Putrajaya to established green-lane travel arrangements with other countries where Covid-19 has been brought under control.

Penang was popular with tourists from Japan, China, Taiwan and Singapore while many Indonesians visit Penang for medical tourism, Lim added.

Besides the smaller and budget hotels, other establishments also struggling are the business accommodations. Lim said there are about 100 business hotels in Penang.

“There are reservations but overall, business hotels are not very active. The first weekend of interstate travel, the beaches were crowded as visitors came just to breathe and relax by the sea.”

A popular food paradise, Penang, however, is seeing few dine-ins at its restaurants.

Diners are gradually returning but many customers are still ordering takeaway and few families are dining out because children aged below 12 are not eligible for vaccination.

Vinyah Yee, who heads the Penang Island Teh Ko Soo Kwong Choon Tong Restaurants and Teashops Association, said interstate travel has boosted business volume by about 30% overall.

“Customers are mostly those on business trips or diners going out with friends but few are family dinners as young children have not been vaccinated.”

Yee said recovery for restaurants is hampered by space limitations as the outlets can only allowed to operate at half capacity.

Yee said the restaurant and catering industry hopes the government will address the high costs of imported ingredients in Budget 2022, which will be tabled at the end of this month.

She also asked for water and electricity subsidies for the food and beverage sector. – October 23, 2021.