KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — Hotels have reportedly been receiving cancellations ahead of the 15th general election (GE15) as voters are calling off their holidays planned around November 19 to cast their ballots.
Hotel bookings for events also had to be postponed, many of which comprised government events, The Star reported.
“Cancellations are still coming in and we have received about 15 per cent to 20 per cent cancellations as of now. We expect the number of cancellations to go up as the date gets nearer.
“As for the hotel occupancy rate, it is still at its normal rate, which is around 50 per cent, and we have not reached its peak yet. The trend during the last election was that the occupancy rate would pick up nearer to the polling date.
“However, I foresee only an uptick in this coming election as Kedah is only contesting in the parliamentary seats and not the state seats,” Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Kedah and Perlis chapter chairman Eugene Dass was quoted as saying.
Some Malaysians also decided to sacrifice their holiday plans to exercise their voting rights.
“I bought my flight tickets and hotel stay in June. They cost me about RM1,000. This was to be my first overseas vacation since the Covid-19 pandemic.
I was supposed to go with my secondary school friends from November 15 to 19. Now, I have no choice but to cancel my trip. My flight tickets will be burned as I could not postpone the trip,” 37-year-old logistics manager Thomas Ng was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, freelance photographer Amanda Lim, 28, will skip her friend’s wedding in Johor because she will be voting in Ipoh.
“My high school friend is getting married on November 18, a day before polling. A few friends and I will skip the event. We feel voting for our country’s future is more important.
“Well, we can always plan another trip,” she told The Star.
Malaysians will head to the polls for GE15 on November 19, with early voting set for November 15.
