PETALING JAYA: The easing of Covid-19 restrictions that coincided with the Hari Raya celebrations and the ensuing extended weekend proved to be a boon for businesses affected by the pandemic.
According to Malaysian Association of Hotels president Datuk N. Subramaniam, many hotels in the East Coast were fully booked during the festive season.
However, he cautioned that it was still early to assume that hotels have resumed operating as normal since the rise in hotel occupancy was solely due to the Hari Raya festive period.
“East Coast hotels and those in Malacca, Johor and Penang were running at full occupancy for the festive season as, unlike in the last two years, people have been able to return to their hometowns or just go on a holiday.
“So we can’t say that business has gone back to normal. We will only know once the festive season is over,” he told theSun.
He said most tourists were coming from Thailand, Singapore and other nearby countries.
Grandeur Hotel and Spa chief executive officer Eddy Shah said his Malacca-based hotel was fully booked throughout the first week of May, adding that it was good to see people returning for vacations as his hotel had been quiet during the movement restriction period in the last two years.
“Since it is a peak season and many families are planning outings, a room costs between RM120 and RM130 per night.
“However, despite the easing of restrictions, we are taking all necessary precautions, including sanitising the lifts and lobby regularly to ensure public safety,” he said.
Wangsa Walk Mall customer service executive Nor Shuhada said many people were also coming to the malls to shop.
However, she urged everyone to wear a face mask and use hand sanitisers to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the community.
“Compared to the movement restriction days, the mall is more crowded now.”
