Open house can be huge tourist draw

ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE: Country can use this uniquely Malaysian practice to attract foreigners

Locals and foreigners at an open house in Kota Kinabalu early this week. This open house tradition will boost unity and tourism. Pic by Edmund Samunting

 

KUALA LUMPUR: HOLDING open house is a unique Malaysian trait. It not only promotes unity among the races but can also be put on the tourism calendar.

The various key players and stakeholders in the tourismindustry said the country could use the open house concept to promote itself to the world.

“This is the beauty of our country. People open up their homes to those from different walks of life, and this strengthens unity and harmony,” said Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Victor Wee.

He said tourism industry players could combine their open house functions with other programmes to allow tourists to experience Malaysian culture.

“Many tourists participate in homestay programmes to experience village life. It will be great if we can organise Hari Raya celebrations in homestays.

At the same time, every state has its own way of celebrating Hari Raya.

“Tourists will find this a fulfilling vacation as they get to learn about different traditions.”

Echoing Wee’s concerns, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said despite open house being a distinct Malaysian feature, not many tour operators promoted it to foreign tourists.

“Tour operators should encourage foreigners to visit Malaysia during festive seasons. It is a unique concept that isn’t seen in other parts of the world,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Khalid said promoting the open house could also boost the aviation industry, as more tourists would fly to the country.

In supporting the idea, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg urged government agencies to inform the department of the dates and venues of their open house functions so that tour operators could include them in their itineraries.

“The open house can draw a lot of tourists. We will be happy to promote it.”

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, during his Hari Raya open house on Sunday, expressed happiness that Malaysians held this practice abroad, including serving lemang, ketupat and rendang to guests.

He described the open house tradition as a unique practice adopted by Malaysians to mark festivities.

Tour operator Datin Baizura Abu Bakar said the open house showed the true spirit of unity. “The spirit of 1Malaysia is seen in the Hari Raya open house. “People from all walks of life mix with one another.”

Baizura said tourists who attended the open house would enjoy the experience.
"They will feel that Malaysia is their second home."

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk S.K. Devamany said the open house concept promoted unity among the races.

"This tradition, which dates back to 1960s, is entrenched in our culture. People understand each other's way of life this way.

"There is no better way to bring together so many races under one roof. Therefore, Malaysians should be encouraged to have open house to boost unity.

"People all over the world crave for this sort of togetherness. This tradition of ours is a highly bankable one for the tourism sector."

By SEAN AUGUSTIN, YISWAREE PALANSAMY AND NURADILLA NOOR AZAM

Additional reporting by Nuradilla Noorazam and Hashini Kannan

RM420m upgrade for Subang Skypark

KUALA LUMPUR: Subang Skypark Sdn Bhd is set to embark on a RM420 million ambitious infrastructure development plan to transform the former Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, now known as Subang Skypark, into a full-fledged aerospace city by 2015.

Its executive director Tan Sri Ravindran Menon said the company is planning to utilise between four and 4.8 hectares of land opposite Terminal 3 to build a boutique hotel, an aviation museum and theme park as part of a retail mall.

"We are in the final round of talks with our expert joint-venture partner, a local established player in the retail and hotel industry.

"The development named Skypark Nexus will have an approximate built-up area of one million square feet and will rejuvenate the airport's branding as well as enhance the wholesomeness of customer experience in the airport and its surrounding areas," he said.

Ravindran said negotiations are expected to be concluded by year-end and works are set to commence in January.

He added that Skypark Nexus, which will be completed in 24 months, is budgeted to cost between RM300 million and RM350 million.

Ravindran said the proposed retail mall and hotel will be between four- and five-storey high and Subang Skypark is now talking to the local government to widen the main roads fronting the proposed development to avoid traffic congestion.

While describing the project as a perfect public- private partnership, he said the cost will be financed through internal fundings and bank borrowings.

"The special aspect in the development is that there will be a bridge linking the mall and the terminal building - a concept rarely seen in any other city airports worldwide," Ravindran said, adding that Subang Skypark Sdn Bhd will invest more than RM70 million to build five new hangars across the current airport runway.

He added the new facilities will elevate Subang Skypark to be on par with other city airports and corporate aviation operators worldwide.

Since most aviation-related corporations headquarters are situated in the surroundings of Subang Skypark, Ravindran said Subang will be better known as an aerospace city in the next three years.

"We want to be a fine example to Malaysia Airports on how to develop a city airport. This place will surely boom in years to come as all aviation-related investments will come to this area.

"There are also plans to establish an aviation technical college, of which Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd is currently looking at that proposal," he said.

Bernama

 

Pan Pacific KLIA undergoes RM56m upgrade

The 442-room airport hotel commenced the upgrade in June this year and expects it to be completed by March next year.
PAN Pacific KLIA, a hotel owned by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, has started a RM56 million makeover that will see the property incorporate hi-tech gadgets and digital components.

"What we are doing is bringing the hotel to a 21st Century state by taking advantage of modern technology," general manager Hans Winsnes said.

The 442-room airport hotel commenced the upgrade in June this year and expects it to be completed by March next year.

"We will be fully refurbished by March-end in 2013, in time for the Formula 1 Grand Prix (in Sepang)," Wisnes told Business Times in a recent interview.
Of the RM56 million, 60 per cent will go towards furniture and fittings while the remaining 40 per cent will be for mechanical and engineering works.

Winsnes expects return on investment on the RM56 million makeover to take 11 years.

The guest rooms will be fitted with IPTV. "With this, we will have a lot more content to offer in terms of entertainment," he said.

The hotel is also working on playing its part in reducing the carbon footprint. After successfully installing the Inncom room ambiance control system (Inncom) in 1998, it plans to make a further RM6 million investment into an upgraded fully operated system.

"We spent RM2.7 million on Inncom which saw the hotel's utility bill come down and see full payback on the system within three years," he said.

Staff at Pan Pacific, who now bring three times more revenue than they did when it opened 14 years ago, have not been forgotten.

One example is in housekeeping. The hotel is installing an Ezi-Maid, a bed-lifting system which allows beds to be made easily without the need for much bending.

At the same time, once the bed is raised, it allows vacuuming under the bed.

Meanwhile, Winsnes said that the hotel's performance this year will be better than last year's despite the ongoing works.

Pan Pacific expects the occupancy to decline to 62.8 per cent and achieve an ARR of RM380 for 2012 as it undergoes the refurbishment exercise. Revenue for the year is projected to be RM80 million.

In 2011, the hotel finished the year with an average occupancy of 68.4 per cent and an ARR of RM347. It chalked up a revenue of RM76 million.

Once the entire makeover is completed in the first quarter of 2013, the hotel's performance is expected to improve further as occupancy hits 65.1 per cent and ARR will improve to its highest level at RM408 a night.

By VASANTHA GANESAN

Boutique hotels: Making sure there’s no room for dispute

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism Ministry is looking at classifying the term boutique hotels to prevent budget hotels from disguising themselves as one.
An Internet search shows boutique hotels are generally defined as properties with fewer than 100 rooms offering a very high level of service and with rates that are on the high side.

"The Tourism Ministry welcomes the setting up of boutique hotels but in the right context and in the high end (quality and rates) direction," Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen told Business Times recently.

"We don't want just any hotel to term itself 'boutique' and give the wrong impression. Boutique hotels must have a room rate of above RM500 a night," Ng said.

According to her, boutique hotels should have a room inventory of fewer than 10. However, she said the ministry would consider all suggestions put forward.
"We have received appeals saying 10 is too few and so we listened to them. But to us, a boutique hotel cannot be lumped with any other hotel.

It is an hotel in its own class," she pointed out.

Boutique hotels must have a different service level, offer personal service and have a distinct ambiance, she said.

"Boutique hotels cannot be like a guest house."

It is understood that the term "boutique hotel" has been taken out of context, causing confusion among some tourists.

While the ministry is looking at the loosely used term, Ng, however, pointed out that it did not actually have the power to say whether or not an accommodation was indeed a boutique hotel.

This, she said, fell within the purview of the local council.

The ministry is responsible for registering and classifying tourist accommodation premises. Licensing of tourist accommodation premises is the responsibility of the local authorities.

"Orchid" is a standard classification system created for those form of accommodation premises that cannot be classified under the Star Classification Scheme, which include three-, four- or five-star categories.

By Vasantha Ganesan