Johor targets more hotel rooms to meet tourist growth

photo: PelanconganKini

JOHOR BARU: The state is hoping to have an additional 11,550 hotel rooms in the next four years to cater to the growing number of tourist arrivals here.

State exco member for Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said the rooms – 7,200 in three to five-star hotels and 4,350 in budget hotels – were needed to overcome the current shortage of accommodation in the state.

He said that the main complaint from tourists was that there were not many hotel rooms available if they did not make bookings when visiting the state during weekends or peak season.

“The average percentage of tourists putting up in hotels rose to 74% last year compared with 66% in 2012 and the numbers are expected to rise again this year,” he said after opening the Grand World Hotel in Permas Jaya here yesterday.

He added that the statistics from the Immigration Department showed that the state welcomed at least 23.9 million visitors last year and 22 million visitors the year before. He said the state currently has about 14,310 rooms in three to five-star and budget hotels.

-thestar online.