KUCHING: Being a ‘hybrid hotel’ has helped both Grand Margherita Hotel and Riverside Majestic Hotel — Astana Wing to generate revenue despite being one of the quarantine centres here.
The hotels’ general manager, Patrick Lau stated that the hotels continue to serve diners and open as meeting venues even though they are serving Persons Under Surveillance (PUS) in their hotel.
“I thank God that the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) approved our hotels to be a hybrid hotel. The way we do it is by having the PUS enter via a separate entrance while guests who come to our food and beverage (F&B) outlets or for our meeting venues will come in from a separate entrance.
“Even though Kuching has been declared as a red zone, our F&B focuses on self-pickup and deliveries,” he said when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune.
The main concern for the tourism industry is the lack of tourists coming in due to the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in the closing of the borders.
Recently, AB Consulting presented a proposal that stated to have tourism recover in the post-Covid-19 era, citizens must travel domestically within Sarawak. As they stated, when they feel comfortable travelling, they may go farther. Thus, the future of tourism stays in the traveller’s hand.
“I do agree with what was presented by AB Consulting. Even when the time comes where we are not required to serve the PUS, I do not think that the SDMC would directly open the borders for other people to visit Sarawak.
“Hence, one of the strategies that will be done is to tap and promote intrastate tourism to which I am aware is not an easy task,” Lau added.
Sarawak Tourism Federation president Audrey Wan Ullok stated that the closed borders would not bring any business to the tourism industry players as the current matter does not look bright for them.
Recently, one of the tour operators commented that the closed state and country’s border resulted in their business has dropped drastically.
