OYO: Domestic tourism offers saving grace

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KUCHING: Domestic tourism will be the saving grace for those in the travel and hospitality sectors once the Movement Control Order (MCO) is lifted.

Tan Ming Luk

“For those of us complying with the MCO at home, it would not be unusual to fantasise about our future holidays. With the trajectory of the disease surge differing from country to country, domestic travel is the place for recovery to start,” suggested OYO Hotels and Homes country head for Malaysia and Singapore Tan Ming Luk yesterday.

“We can already see this domestic focus in China, as it cautiously restarts non-essential sectors like tourism. Research shows as many as 90 per cent of those ready to travel wanting to start domestically, as experts point to safety fears and the desire to be near the security of home as driving forces in consumer decisions.

“At the same time, independent travel is preferred, with travellers avoiding large tour groups and cruises and opting for hotels offering flexibility to amend bookings.

Domestic tourism will remain accessible to many in Malaysia, taking into consideration that it is most popular among those with monthly household incomes of RM1,001 to RM3,000 per month.

“With young adults forming the majority of domestic travellers, this may be yet another bright point, looking at global trends,” Tan added.

“Research has found that young travellers may consider travelling a meaningful way to spend their time when the economy is poor, even using their severance pay to fund their travels.

“Tourism is a business of seeing and experiencing, so when its tourism industry was hit by a MERS outbreak in 2015, South Korea invited foreign media and industry decision makers to visit key tourism destinations to rebuild confidence, as part of its recovery process.

“Likewise, Malaysia can replicate this tried and true method during our own recovery from Covid-19. With popular attractions largely closed, we can also optimise the lack of crowds to continue improvement works on tourism assets, so they will be ready to welcome tourists at their full glory once the market improves.”

File photo shows the Tugu Negara. Domestic tourism will remain accessible to many in Malaysia, taking into consideration that it is most popular among those with monthly household incomes of RM1,001 to RM3,000 per month. — Bernama photo

“Those new to a destination tend to make a beeline for the Top 10 highlights while repeat visitors may opt for quieter attractions. Residents of smaller towns head to big cities for shopping or to enjoy cultural performances, while urbanites head towards nature for R&R during long weekends.

“All these behaviours and more can be used to guide travel promotions aimed at aggregating the travel crowds.”

To continue generating more domestic trips, the OYO Malaysia country head said more effort is required to draw out and refine the unique propositions of each destination.

“With the cancellation of Visit Malaysia Year 2020, the RM1.1 billion previously allocated to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for the campaign, including the RM960 million earmarked for driving awareness, promotions and programmes can be channelled towards promoting domestic tourism.

“Once the MCO is lifted, Malaysians will still want to travel, and spending their money at home is the right choice for many reasons. For a start, it is a way to show solidarity with our fellow Malaysians by keeping money within the local economy.

“Besides, postponed events are likely to be rescheduled, so parents will want to attend their children’s convocations, and business travellers are likely to start attending trade events and professional conferences again.”

Tan further said Malaysians may be choosing domestic travel for down to earth reasons like visiting relatives and friends (40.6 per cent), shopping (34.7 per cent) or relaxation (10.4 per cent), but their spending will nevertheless help businesses in the travel and tourism sector achieve their income goals.

“We certainly hope all Malaysians will have the opportunity to enjoy the remaining long weekends in Malaysia.”