Sabah may find it hard to accommodate tourists
Published on: Sunday, March 22, 2015
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah may soon have trouble accommodating visitors as the number of arrivals is expected to jump due to the Asean open sky policy. The liberalisation of regional air travel since Jan. 1 is expected to bring about an increase in connectivity, with all 10 Asean member states now able to fly freely through the region under a single, unified and liberalised air transport mart. Although this represents a good opportunity for more economic spin-offs, the number of rooms in hotels, lodges and inns is currently limited, especially during the peak season. ADVERTISEMENT The city, being the gateway to most of the tourist hotspots in the State, presently has over 120 hotels, inns and lodges with over 10,000 rooms, but this will be stretched to the limit in April, July and December, including festivities like Chinese New Year and Christmas, previously. Business temporarily slowed down following the Lahad Datu incursion in 2013 and the kidnappings thereafter and the disappearance of MH370 last year, but tourists appear to be making a huge comeback. A check on bookings in local hotels by the Daily Express found out that several hotels are already experiencing a busy time, with occupancy hitting over 90 per cent. And it is only March. "Some bookings have already exceeded with so many people on the wait list till May," said Nana Jailin, a staff of a local hotel, here. ADVERTISEMENT Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is acutely aware of the shortage, has time and again pointed out that the city is in need of some 2,000 more rooms in the next five years. Since 2013, Sabah has recorded a steady growth in arrivals with over three million people each year, mostly domestic travellers but Masidi, for one, is expecting the number will also increase due to freer air travel across the region.
ADVERTISEMENT
But aside from the shortage of rooms, Masidi also expressed doubts whether airline companies think it is financially viable to come here. "The issue also takes into account a business decision (for the airlines)," said Masidi. For the next five years or so, several more hotels are expected to enter the industry in Sabah such as JW Marriot and Hilton which is presently under construction here in the city. But several industry players say that this would still not be able to cater to the increasing numbers. In the East Coast district, there are a number of boutique hotels, inns and lodgings, but it presently lacks five-star accommodation. The only one perhaps is in Sandakan following the opening of the five-point Sheraton a couple of years ago. Tourism has become very popular in the East Coast, thanks to the islands which have seen the number of resorts and coastal resorts mushroom over the years. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
But other than the lack of five-star hotels in the area, an ongoing travel advisory from several Western nations warning their nationals not to travel to the area remains a challenge for the State to boost tourism. This is despite the presence of the Eastern Sabah Security Command and the dawn-to-dusk curfew that has seen the security situation in the districts significantly improved.