Things slowly picking up pace in JB’s hospitality sector

JOHOR BARU: Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri’s recent disclosure that local hotels have experienced a 31 per cent rise in bookings in the month of June is being confirmed by developments in the hospitality industry in Johor Baru in recent weeks.

Hotels, especially 3-star and 4-star ones, are reporting a rise in bookings by locals for a range of functions.

Tan Ai Lee, general manager of New York Hotel, said JB folk have begun calling to make inquiries about holding meetings, seminars and conferences in the hotel.

“Guests have adjusted rather well to the social distancing rules, mask wearing and, more importantly, meals on the basis of the set menu provided,” said the 47-year veteran of the hospitality industry.

“We thought there would be grumbling and blowback about the restricted menu.

“But we were surprised this was not the case because the people seemed to have taken to the ‘new normal’ brought on by the need to adhere to the SOPs as a result of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,” she elaborated.

She explained that morale among hotel staff has risen from knowing they are not about to lose their jobs and that there is life yet for them after the gloom of a two-and-a-half month suspension to business activity from the time the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced on March 18.

“The gloom and worry of past months has lifted with the return of people to their work-life routines,” said Tan.

She observed that people are readily adjusting to the sanitising and contact tracing requirements of the SOPs.

“This discipline is reinforced by the people having to observe the constant sanitising of doors, lifts and furniture by hotel staff that goes on at regular intervals throughout the day.

“This puts guests in mind that under the ‘new normal’ the necessity of sanitising hands and keeping social distance are the ways to resume business activity and social interaction without inviting the spread of the disease,” she said.

GBW Hotel general manager Chan Seng Chow also reported a rise in bookings by JB residents for a range of activity including small gatherings for functions.

“Life is returning, not exactly to pre-Covid-19 levels, but to something that holds promise of it,” he said.

“This has had a tremendous knock-on effect on the staff who know they are not about to join the unemployment queues that until recently threatened all wage earners,” added Chan.

GBW Hotel were among the few players in the hospitality industry that resisted the move to retrench staff out of humanitarian considerations.

“Now that bookings have picked up the hotel feels vindicated in declining to retrench and there is a new vitality among the staff in their knowing that their jobs are safe.

“The quiet desperation of the recent past has been replaced by a steadily resurging optimism about the future,” he opined.

The revival in social activity has witnessed a resurgence in interest in the public’s use of recreational activities at golf and other clubs.

Ponderosa Golf & Country Resort general manager Tan Kai Yang reported that from mid-May there was an uptick in members’ use of the club’s golfing facilities.

He said the people who come to play the game are mainly local golfers.

“In recent weeks, however, there has been increased interest to play the game shown by local-based expatriates.

“We took strict measures to demonstrate that the cleanliness, health and safety of club were our paramount concern. I think this was what gave confidence to the expatriates to come out of the MCO-imposed cocoon and play their favourite sport,” he remarked.

Kai Yang also revealed that room stays have recovered up to 20 per cent, driven by domestic travellers.

Source: NST