KUALA LUMPUR: Hoteliers should not offer rooms at too low a rate as it will give an impression to foreigners that their services and rooms are of poor quality, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Prime Minister said since the country was working hard to attract high-end tourists, the under-pricing of room rates would only negate such efforts.
“It is bad for the tourism industry as it is not the best approach and I would like to advise hoteliers not to continue doing it.
“Besides undervaluing quality, such approach will also not increase sales,” he said when opening the Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur here last night.
Official launch: Najib opening the Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur Wednesday night. With him are Rosmah, Dr Ahmad Zahid (second from right) and Boustead Holdings Bhd group managing director Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin.
Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The five-star, 402-room hotel is owned by Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and was built at a cost of RM200mil.
Najib said foreigners had often expressed disbelief that the room rates of five-star hotels in the country were low compared to those under the same category in the region.
“They wondered if our hotels were really five-star and thought that the services and quality offered by the hotels were low.
“Our rates should commensurate with the star rating because high-end tourists are prepared to pay a premium for excellent service and quality,” he said.
Najib also reminded hoteliers to pay attention to details as it would “make or break a hotel”.
The service industry, he added, was very competitive and only hotels offering a memorable experience to their guests would succeed.
Guests should be pampered by all levels of the hotel employees who make an effort to know their names, he added.
“The arrival of tourists showed an increase in January which is a good indication,” he said, adding that Malaysia was among the few countries in the world that registered a rise in the number of arrivals despite the global economic slump last year.
want meh? what about us locals who wanna have a short weekend away and want to check in to the hotel? as it is, we are one of the lowest paid nation (at least i feel like that la), you wanna take away the little luxuries from us. tell me now la, how to have cuti cuti malaysia now?? hao??? want me to die at home meh?? overseas trip i dah la cannot afford, now wanna go cuti cuti malaysia also cannot afford coz our dear PM is encouraging the hotels to charge more expensively!
ok. pls tell me i m stupid and i misinterpreted the whole thing. i rather be called stupid and to tell me that i m wrong so that i can still go for my cheap and affordable cuti cuti malaysia! :D
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