Hotels, restaurants rating system under review after complaints, says minister
Motac minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing says they will downgrade the star rating of outlets found to flout basic standards of service quality and cleanliness.
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Its minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said this move comes after receiving complaints from room guests and tourists on the state of hotels and restaurants within tourism hotspots.
"We also do not discount downgrading the star rating of outlets found to flout basic standards of service quality and cleanliness.
"I will announce more details at a later date," he said in a statement.
He appealed to all hotels and restaurants to take immediate steps to improve their businesses, especially cleanliness, services, and product quality, as well as washroom amenities.
Malaysia’s tourism industry generated RM197.9 billion of "gross value-added of tourism industries” (GVATI), contributing 12.8 per cent to Malaysia’s GDP in 2021, compared to 14.1 per cent in 2020, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
However, Tiong said low maintenance standards will give a bad image to the country's 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 US $1.2 to $1.31 trillion in 2022," he added.
Due to this, the ministry is restudying the rating system for hotels and food and beverage outlets to develop a clearer and more reflective way to rate them.
He added 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.
Currently, 4,851 tourist accommodations and hotel operators are registered under MOTAC.
"I urge all unregistered hotels, restaurants, and homestay operators to register with the ministry to assist in developing the industry to its full potential," added Tiong.
For more information visit https://www.motac.gov.my.
