GEORGE TOWN, Feb 6 — The Penang government has appealed to the public to support hotel management and staff who have resorted to selling affordable food during the movement control order (MCO) 2.0.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee (Petace) chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said during this pandemic situation, hotels have to be innovative in generating revenue while adhering strictly to the standard operation procedures (SOP).
“I urge the public to support their humble efforts, as every packet of food that you buy would enable hotels to retain their employees and help those involved in the hospitality industry during this challenging period,” he said in a statement today.
He said the Penang state exco office is continuously working to promote economic recovery using online sales platforms.
“Though physical activities of tourism have been suspended, promotional and outreaching efforts must continue.
“As it is a continuous challenge to sustain livelihoods during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Penang state government will seize any opportunity to deploy measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and better sustain the industry in the long term,” he said.
He said as this would be a tough time for the hotel and tourism industry as a whole, domestic support would be the key to keep this industry going in months to come, adding that when international travelling restrictions would be lifted is still unknown.
“F&B operation for delivery and takeaway service is permitted during this MCO 2.0, and hotel managements have turned to this as an alternative to generate revenue.
“One thing certain is that domestic tourism will become a pillar in times ahead as the market for domestic tourism will recover faster. Hopefully, this will offer the growth needed to help the industry to rebound faster,” he said.
Earlier, Yeoh visited several hotels including Red Rock Hotel and Cititel Hotel here, that have resorted to selling food and beverages outside of their venue to ease the burden of staff members.
In a video by Bernama recently, a hotel manager was seen holding a placard — with “RM3.00 ONLY” written on it — outside the hotel building. He was promoting the hotel’s food and beverages to the vehicles and pedestrians passing by the area. — Bernama