Home away from home: Customers value a clean and safe place to stay.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s tourism boom has placed the country’s accommodation sector under scrutiny.
Guests are insisting on stringent hygiene and safety standards, knowing that these aspects heavily influence their overall experience and perception of the nation’s hospitality.
However, the industry is facing criticism from travellers who are increasingly documenting significant differences between the idyllic depictions of properties online and the disappointing state they find upon check-in.
A British traveller, who wants to be known as Leon, recounted a less-than-ideal experience during his maiden journey to Malaysia’s East Coast.
Opting for budget accommodation, Leon was confronted with unwelcome surprises: on entering the bathroom, he was greeted by cockroaches, an unpleasant start to his stay.
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He said amenities promised in the advertisement, such as a mini fridge and an iron, were conspicuously absent from his room. To add to his discomfort, a foul odour emanated from the carpet, further diminishing the appeal of his lodgings.
Sales executive Johan, 25, said his family had a horrific accommodation stay in Kuantan.
The accommodation was booked for a big family reunion and the listing had promised dining tables and a fully functioning kitchen.
“However, when we arrived, there was only one small dining table, and the kitchen had no cooking equipment or crockery,” he said.
Much to the family’s shock, there was another long-term guest who was also staying in the same house.
“Moreover, the place was dusty and the toilets flooded after showering,” he said.
He added that it took a day for the owner to resolve the issues.
“It was supposed to be a joyous gathering, but the mood was completely dampened on the first day,” he said.
Business owner Anne Lim, 38, observed that many accommodation advertisements may have enticing images from booking sites but upon arrival, the reality looks worse than promised.
She also noticed a growing number of fake positive reviews to boost conversion within the booking sites.
“I always compare reviews across different online booking platforms to make sure my travel experience is good,” she said.
Homestay owner Maggy Foo, 54, has been operating homestays for the past 12 years and said that her customers value cleanliness and safety.
“A homestay has to be in tip-top condition before it is provided for the next guest to stay. I make sure everything works,” she said, adding that she chooses not to have CCTVs installed on her property to protect guests’ privacy.
Foo has her fair share of guest troubles; once, a guest stole all the electrical appliances , including the television, microwave oven and kettle.
Malaysia Homestay Association president Datuk Sahariman Hamdan has raised concerns about numerous complaints arising from disputes with guests at urban “homestays”.
These complaints often involve facilities that either fail to meet the advertised standards or are in a state of disrepair – an issue that could potentially damage the reputation of Malaysia’s tourism sector.
To address these concerns, he pointed out the need for the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to differentiate between traditional village homestays and those urban establishments operating without proper registration under the ministry.
He argued that authentic homestays should be those located within village settings, as they provide guests with a genuine Malaysian village life experience and the opportunity to engage in community-based tourism activities.
He went on to explain that residential properties in urban centres such as Kuala Lumpur, Kajang, or Shah Alam, although possibly renovated to serve as homestays, do not meet the criteria for official recognition and are likely subject to local council regulations.
He proposed that urban rental properties adopt alternative designations, such as “Bed and Breakfast”, and form their associations.
Malaysian Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) president Sri Ganesh Michiel said budget hotels are facing financial challenges due to the competition from “unregistered” accommodations.
This competition constrains their budget, limiting their ability to enhance their establishments, for example by only being able to afford moderately priced pillows and replace towels once in three years.
