Hotels already enticing customers with cheaper rates

MELAKA: Hotels here are scrapping the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for its dinein meals, including Ramadan buffets.

The Settlement Hotel and Mahkota Hotel are among the earliest to announce that they are doing away with GST, even before the June 1 deadline.

Settlement Hotel owner Billy Leong said room rates will also exclude GST starting on Friday.

“We scrapped the GST for our buffet from the beginning of Ramadan on our own initiative," he said yesterday.

Mahkota Hotel said it had zerorated GST for its Warisan Selera Kampung Ramadan package, which comes with room discount vouchers, since May 25.

Casa Del Rio Hotel’s sales and marketing manager Agnes Tay said guests could enjoy zeroGST room rates and dining starting on Friday.

“We are hoping for brisk sales after the GST is scrapped,” she added.

Bayou Lagoon Park Resort in Bukit Katil here said no GST meant that more guests could enjoy the hospitality service at a lower price.

The resort’s chief executive officer Datuk Marco Seow said he expected more bookings during the Hari Raya break, as the rates would be cheaper after doing away with the tax.

“We see a positive impact for the industry as a whole with the arrival of more tourists in the state," he said.

Melaka Chinese Chambers and Commerce president Siang Teck Siong said members had been told to rationalise the pricing in accordance with the zerorated GST.

“Our members are from multiple business backgrounds and industries,” he added.