KUCHING: The Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry (MOTAC) is currently restudying the rating system for hotels, food and beverage outlets towards developing a clearer and more reflective way to rate the quality of these cornerstones of the tourism industry.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said that during the reopening and recovery period of COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry is on a mission to ensure that tourism continues to improve its reputation for high quality and responsible standards of service and quality.
“Malaysia’s tourism industry generated RM197.9 billion of gross value-added of tourism industries (GVATI), contributing 12.8 per cent to Malaysia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021, compared to 14.1 per cent in 2020, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
“However, much must be improved to address complaints of low maintenance standards which have brought bad reputation to Malaysian tourism.
“In general, guests often do not get the standard of quality they expect and have paid for. It reflects poorly on the industry and indirectly, on our country in the eyes of the world tourism market, which is expected to be worth between USD 1.2 to USD1.31 trillion in 2022,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
Tiong, who is also the Bintulu MP, said that hotels must ensure that they provide the quality and standards expected of their star rating, rather than being complacent following any boost to their rating.
“Restaurants must also adhere to basic expectations of quality including clean toilets and having properly trained and certified service and kitchen staff.
“We also do not discount downgrading the star rating of outlets found to flout basic standards of service quality and cleanliness. We will announce more details at a later date,” he said.
Currently, he said, a total of 4,851 tourist accommodations and hotel operators are registered under MOTAC.
“I also urge all unregistered hotels, restaurants, and homestay operators to register with the ministry to assist in developing the industry to its full potential.
For more information, application guidelines, application forms, and other details, visit the Ministry’s official website at https://www.motac.gov.my.
