Share
KUALA LUMPUR: Rangkaian Hotel Seri Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which owns the Seri Malaysia chain of hotels in the country, aims to raise occupancy rate by 5% to 75% this year.
This initiative will be aided by rising disposable income, the government's tourism initiatives and the fast-growing economy.
It also forms part of the group's brand transformation programme which includes a facelift for 10 of its 19 hotels for starters, as well as prepare the hotel chain for nationwide expansion amid the country’s brisk growth in travel and tourism.
"Our focus this year is on improving perception towards Seri Malaysia hotels and increase customer loyalty towards the brand," its corporate affairs and administration general manager Rusli Hasnan told Bernama in an interview.
Towards this end, he said, the company recently took the first step by participating in the three-day Matta Fair, the country's premier Travel and Tourism Fair, to increase brand awareness and sales revenue.
Seri Malaysia hotels, the country's biggest mid-range hotel chain, has 19 hotels spread throughout Peninsular Malaysia, including smaller towns and state capitals with plans underway to build more across the country.
Its hotels are located in Alor Setar, Bagan Lalang, Genting Highlands, Ipoh, Johor Bharu, Kepala Batas, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Kulim, Marang, Melaka, Mersing, Port Dickson, Pulau Pinang, Rompin, Seremban, Sungai Petani, Taiping and Temerloh.
The establishment of the hotel chain is part of the government's efforts to improve the growth of the local tourism industry together with the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia.
Seri Malaysia hotels are either owned, managed or franchised to independent operators who offer the minimum price of around RM130 for an overnight stay, which is a strong selling point.
Rangkaian Hotel Seri Malaysia is also refurbishing its hotels as some were built 16 years ago and it is time for an upgrade to provide guests the best possible experience.
Although regarded as a budget hotel, guests, particularly families with children on vacation at Seri Malaysia hotels, thank its ability to provide a comfortable stay with restaurants and swimming pools.
This, makes it distinct, from other budget hotels.
Rusli said the three-star hotel chain would undergo a RM14 million facelift this year involving 10 hotels and the remaining nine, probably in 2011.
"This year, our hotels will be undergoing a massive refurbishment. The hotels will be completely updated both within and outside. Other facilities such as the conference rooms are also being transformed," he added.
"An enhancement of all bathrooms will complement the new experience, providing guests, mostly the middle income group, with the perfect atmosphere to relax in a refreshing environment," he said.
To better serve the growing number of tourists in the country, the company will also officially launch two new hotels in Kangar, Perlis in May and in Lawas,Sarawak, tentatively next month.
Rusli said hotel staff would continue to be given lots of training on the 5C's concept of cleanliness, convenience, comfort, courtesy and conformity to achieve quality customer service.
On the hotel services industry, he anticipates a promising outlook this year,on the back of the gradual global economic recovery, government initiatives to boost the tourism industry and rising disposable income.
"We capture our clients' needs and translate them into concrete solutions. Hopefully, lots of people would like to stay in Seri Malaysia hotels and have a wonderful experience," he said. — Bernama
SHARE
