What innovations would enable the tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia to rebuild?
Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes
ISSN: 1755-4217
Article publication date: 1 September 2022
Issue publication date: 16 November 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores the challenges Malaysian tourism and hospitality organisations faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and assesses how they coped and strategized with these challenges. Next, the study explores innovative action and best practices in dealing with the pandemic. Additionally, the study focusses on the efforts of policymakers. The paper also reviews government policy and support programmes made available to the business sector during the pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper identifies the key pandemic-related issues and challenges faced in the tourism and hospitality industry through open-ended questions with senior industry practitioner insights and policymakers.
Findings
The study highlights emerging challenges and issues for Malaysian hospitality and tourism businesses. In addition, it offers specific recommendations and strategies to enable industry stakeholders to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practical implications
These findings are of interest to Malaysian tourism and hospitality industry stakeholders and policymakers as they highlight challenges and offer possible post-pandemic solutions.
Originality/value
The paper reflects current issues and challenges from the perspective of tourism and hospitality practitioners on managerial and operational issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the participation of industry experts in this study and thank them for their insights and recommendations relating to the innovative solutions need to re-build the tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia:
• Dato' Ammar Abd Ghaffar, Senior Director, Tourism Malaysia.
• Mr. Yap Lip Seng, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and MAH Training and Education Centre (MAHTEC).
• Mr. Sundra Kulendra, General Manager, Sama Sama Hotel KL International Airport, Malaysia.
Citation
Balasubramanian, K. and Hanafiah, M.H. (2022), "What innovations would enable the tourism and hospitality industry in Malaysia to rebuild?", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 14 No. 6, pp. 596-603. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-05-2022-0057
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited