GEORGE TOWN, June 12 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Penang’s tourism players have welcomed the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), saying there are various initiatives that can kick-start efforts to revive the tourism industry.
Chairman of Malaysia Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang Chapter Khoo Boo Lim said the unveiling of PENJANA was a timely boost for the tourism industry, the country’s second biggest revenue earner.
“The (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a lot of revenue losses since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed. It is timely that the government has announced the various initiatives to help the industry,” he told Bernama in an interview here.
He hoped that the initiatives would be implemented speedily to help the local tourism sector pull through this challenging period and prepare for better times ahead.
Initiatives like the tourism tax exemption, tax payment deferment for tourism-related industries and service tax exemption for lodging services are expected to benefit the industry players during this challenging time, he added.
Khoo also urged the government to seriously consider opening up international flights so that hoteliers can enjoy the exemption on tourism tax, which is only applicable to foreign guests, not locals.
“For this year, all the focus will be only on domestic tourists unless the government decides to open up on international tourists,” he said.
He said MAH Penang, which has about 95 members, was not placing high hopes on 2020, partly because hotels are now allowed to operate only room accommodation.
“I believe the meeting, incentive, conferencing and exhibition (MICE) service can give a surge (in business) if the government allows it to be opened under strict standard operating procedure (SOP),” he said.
Entopia chief executive officer Joseph Goh also urged the government to open the country’s borders to tourists or at least negotiate with Asean countries to boost regional tourism.
He said Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm is grateful for the government’s support and the farm is all geared up for its reopening today.
However, Goh suggested that the government introduce a voucher system to encourage people to visit local tourist attractions.
“Maybe we can give out actual tourist attraction vouchers to encourage the people to really utilise the voucher by travelling,” he said.
He lauded the RM1,000 income tax relief for domestic tourism expenses until December 2021, saying it will encourage people to travel.
Goh said Entopia received about 600 to 700 visitors a month but the business dropped 20 per cent in February and it has been closed since March 18 because of COVID-19.
On June 5, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin unveiled the RM1 billion PENJANA Tourism Financing facility for financing transformation initiatives by SMEs in the tourism industry.
— NNN-BERNAMA