THE reimposition of a conditional movement control order (CMCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya has taken a heavy toll on Port Dickson’s hospitality industry.
The hotel occupancy rate plunged to 25% last weekend, from 50% before the “lockdown” of the three places, which are a significant source of domestic tourists.
This is the second time that the hospitality industry at the beach resort destination in Negeri Sembilan was hit in a month.
The first was after the outbreak of the third wave of Covid-19 infections following the Sabah state election, which caused the hotel occupancy rate to drop from a high of between 80% and 90% to just 50%.
According to a report in Nanyang Siang Pau yesterday, hoteliers and tour operators had an uneasy feeling right after the CMCO was announced but did not expect the hotel occupancy rate to drop to 25%.
They believe the occupancy rate will slide further should the Covid-19 situation worsen in the coming days.
It was not too long ago that the hotel occupancy rate in Port Dickson’s coastal resort stretch had hit a new high of between 40% and 60% for weekdays and 80% during weekends after taking a battering from the first wave of the Covid-19 infections and the movement control order implemented to curb the pandemic. A few hotels even achieved 90% occupancy during peak periods.
Malaysian Association of Hotels Negeri Sembilan secretary Andy Chong disclosed that Port Dickson depends very much on visitors from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur to sustain its tourism industry.
He said the last weekend saw the hotel occupancy rate, which had already tumbled from between 80% and 90% to 50% the previous weekend, plunge to 25%, a record low since the first wave of the pandemic.
He said Port Dickson’s tourism industry has to rely on travellers from the south for the time being. The report also said Lukut, 5km from Port Dickson and known for its food, was similarly affected.
