The Penang chapter of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) wants the state government to provide some travel incentives to visitors after the tourism industry here suffered a drastic drop in business due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the subsequent nationwide implementation of the movement control order (MCO).

'We expect to see tourism as one of the last industries to catch up, so I want to propose to the government that they should provide tourists with some travel incentives to make Penang the first choice of destination for them,' said Khoo Boo Lim MAH Penang Chapter Chairman.

He also welcomed the Penang Government's consideration of the waiver of hotel charges to visitors as announced at the recent Penang Tourism Roundtable discussion, as well as the state government's constructive steps to reduce the burden that tourism operators bear in the pandemic.

"We will be glad to see some support and exemptions to help its recovery because the hotel industry in Penang still has a serious impact from the outbreak."

In a separate statement, Yeoh Soon Hin, the Chairman of the Committee on Tourism, Arts, Culture, and History, confirmed that the starting date for waiver was still under consideration, as there was no travel permit during the time of the MCO.

"We work closely with players from the tourist industry, and the MAH Penang Chapter proposed that the charges for hotels in Langkawi levied by the state be removed after an agreement has been reached with the Kedah State."

The Penang government's hotel fees levied on all visitors, beginning on June 1, 2014, was RM3 for 4 and 5-star hotels per room per night and RM2 for 3-star Hotels per room per night and below for all dormitories, budget hotels, accommodation units, and guest rooms.

He said the state should work with all players and stakeholders in the sector of tourism to ensure that the industry revives at the right time in the right and desirable environment.