SARS Hits Brunei Hotels Hard
By Azlan Othman

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has not spared Brunei. Though the Sultanate has taken measures to effectively stop the virus from entering the country, its effects are felt everywhere.

SARS has hit some of the businesses in the region, and the hotel industry is one of them.

Statistics showed that occupancy rates in Brunei's hotels had dropped by as much as 30 per cent, revealed Datin Zainah Bujang, General Manager of Sheraton Utama and the President of Brunei Association of Hotels (BAH) yesterday.

People have stopped traveling unless absolutely necessary over fears of contracting the deadly virus that has killed nearly 500 people worldwide

Asked whether retrenchments are in the pipeline for hotel staff due to low occupancy rate, Datin Zainah Bujang said no one has been retrenched so far. However to offset the low occupancy rate, hotel staff are being asked to take paid leave because it helps cut cost and expenses. "We are taking necessary action to cut cost not through retrenchment but by asking staff to go on leave," she said.

In an effort to boost the occupancy rate, hoteliers together with key players such as the Tourism Development and Industrial Promotion, airlines and travel agents will soon introduce attractive packages to lure tourists to visit Brunei. "We want to bring back tourism to this country and we are working on it. We need the media to promote our packages," she said.

Asked on the effect of the Iraqi crisis, Datin Zainah said hotel businesses were almost shielded by the crisis and did not affect the local hotel industry very much compared to SARS. ] She spoke to the Bulletin after attending a briefing on SARS awareness for BAH members at Sheraton Utama Hotel in the capital. Pg. Dr. Hj Hishamuddin delivered the SARS briefing.

He highlighted on what SARS is all about, measures taken by the country against SARS, including strategies and prevention procedures and latest statistics on SARS deaths.

He called on hoteliers to be socially responsible. "If a SARS suspect has stayed in a hotel room or took ill during his/her stay, hoteliers should inform relevant authorities." -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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