PETALING JAYA: Hoteliers said the Covid-19 pandemic hit the hotel industry hard and subsequently caused massive lay-offs, so many hotels are short-handed now.
According to a Malaysian Insight report, the hoteliers said that the RM1,500 minimum wage implementation has also impacted them and urged the government to allow hotels to hire students as temporary staff.
They said they failed to rehire when travel restrictions were lifted on April 1, and that the recent rush of guests caught them off guard.
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) president N. Subramaniam said members reported an occupancy rate of 80% to 90% during the Labour Day-Hari Raya weekend and Wesak weekend.
The occupancy rate is between 50% and 60% in these areas on normal days.
Subramaniam said most hotels in the east coast, Penang and Malacca reported maximum capacity, with the majority of guests.
He said before travel restrictions were lifted and before the Hari Raya holidays, these hotels recorded an occupancy rate of only 30% to 40%.