KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The occupancy rates in hotels nationwide has increased by 24 per cent since the government allows tourism travel between states placed under the Recovery movement control order (RMCO) on March 10.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the data from the Malaysian Association of Hotels also recorded an increasing trend of 33 per cent in hotel occupancy rates during the school holiday last week.
She said before tourism travel between RMCO states was allowed, the hotel occupancy rates in January was around 20 per cent and February (18 per cent).
“If you ask the people who went to all these beaches, like Langkawi Island, Redang Island and Port Dickson, they are already full. Tourists, please be responsible and comply with the Covid-19 preventive standard operating procedures (SOPs),” she said in a news conference after launching the National Heritage and Near-Extinct Menu at the Open House Restaurant in Suria KLCC here, today.
On March 9, the government announced the permission for interstate travel for tourism activities between states placed under RMCO under the Targeted Travel Bubble programme, subject to strict SOPs and must go through travel agencies registered under the ministry.
To date, eight states namely Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Pahang, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu and Sabah as well as the Federal Territories of Putrajaya and Labuan are placed under the RMCO until April 14.
Meanwhile, Nancy said the National Heritage Department has gazetted 213 recipes as near-extinct and hoped that more people and local hotel operators would serve the food.
“I believe this is going to be a very exciting and unique way of promoting Malaysian food because they are only available in very remote areas and some ingredients are only available when you go to the area itself,” she said.
Among the food to be served at the restaurant are Sambal Tumis Udang Umbut Tuhau, Ikan Patin Asam Tempoyak Daun Pijat, Pulut Kukus Periuk Kera and Sambal Neraka. — Bernama
