KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Land Bhd (Bland) believes 2022 will be a recovery year for the domestic tourism industry, although it is cautiously optimistic about the pace of the recovery.
BLand chief executive officer Syed Ali Shahul Hameed said signs of recovery had been seen since late last year, with increased bookings from October 2021 compared to the previous year.
"This year, we believe the recovery of the hospitality sector will be driven by consumer confidence, the pace of vaccination and the government's regulations on loosening travel restrictions in the new normal. Generally, we expect 2022's business performance to be better than what we achieved in 2021.
"By the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022, we are anticipating to see the gradual return of international tourists' arrivals to our resorts," he told the New Straits Times.
With over 99 per cent of Malaysia's adult population having completed their Covid-19 vaccination and a positive rate of booster shots, Syed Ali believes the industry can anticipate an increase in domestic leisure demand.
"We remain hopeful that the industry will continue to make progress, particularly as the government considers reopening mutual borders with several countries as international tourists' arrivals are vital for a full recovery," he said.
Syed Ali said island destinations such as Redang, Langkawi and Tioman continued to be key destinations for international visitors, mainly tourists from Europe and China, who were always looking for unique beaches in Southeast Asia which fitted well with what Berjaya Hotels & Resorts (BHR) has to offer.
"Our island resorts in Tioman, Redang and Langkawi are undergoing upgrading and facelifts exercise in phases. Our guests can expect new chalets, refurbished food and beverage (F&B) outlets, and new beach facilities. In the second quarter of 2022, we will reopen Berjaya Tioman Resort, which is currently under refurbishment.
"With the current vaccinated travel lane opened between Singapore and Malaysia, we believe this will greatly attract holidaymakers from across the straits," he added.
Syed Ali said the plan for Redang Island was to cater to more sophisticated demands from domestic and international luxury travellers.
The company's Taaras Beach & Spa Resort will be undergoing a series of upgrading exercises to cater to the ever-changing needs and the more refined experiences these travellers are looking for.
"To top it off, we are expanding Berjaya Air's direct flight routes between Singapore and Indonesia to Redang Island too.
"Overall, after almost two years of international travel restrictions and rounds of lockdowns, all our hotels and resorts have adapted well to the unforeseen changes and standard operating procedures (SOP) in the new norm. As an international hospitality group, we are continuously embracing new technologies, and new business models look forward to welcoming international travellers again soon," he said.
On future cooperation, Syed Ali said BHR was looking into strategic partnerships for its hotels in Iceland.
"We have a total of 15 hotels under various brands which include Hilton, Canopy and Curio Collection by Hilton, Icelandair Hotels, Alda and Edda. Currently, we are in discussion with several airlines and travel industry partners to customise holiday packages for Malaysians who want to visit Iceland.
"Likewise, we hope to attract more Icelanders and European travellers to experience Malaysian hospitality via our strategic destination resorts nationwide. We look forward to collaborating closely with the tourism boards in both countries, and we hope this initiative will further increase visitors between Iceland and Malaysia within the next few years," he added.
To a question on how it was enhancing rooms and F&B sales to attract more occupancy to its hotel chain in 2022, Syed Ali said BHR was embracing a paradigm shift into digitalisation and had increased visibility on digital platforms.
"We aim to be in sync with the current trends, exploring more collaborations with various stakeholders such as Tourism Malaysia, travel agencies and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) platforms which will contribute to boosting the occupancy rate moving forward.
"Having said that, all our hotels and resorts will certainly look into gradually increasing workforce in accordance to the market needs to provide seamless holiday experience to our all guests," he added.