HOTELS are slashing rates to attract foreign and local holidaymakers as occupancy rates recover from last year’s lows, stakeholders in the tourism industry say.
Daw Su Su Mon, assistant manager of sales and marketing at Bagan Thande Hotel, said the hotel is offering a 10 percent discount on accommodation rates for foreign independent travellers from May 1 through September 30. The normal rate for accommodation with breakfast ranges from US$33 to $200 depending on the room categories during the low season.
“For May and June this year, occupancy rates were up by over 45pc from the same period last year,” she said.
“The hotel recorded 607 room nights booked in May when the same month of last year had 314 room nights booked. We’ve got more than 200 room nights booked for 15 days this month already, unlike June last year, when we had 200 room nights booked for the whole month,” Daw Su Su Mon said.
“Most guests are locals, Chinese, Japanese and Europeans, and we’ve received a few bookings from Spanish travellers for July,” she said.
Kaytumadi Dynasty Hotel in Bagan is offering special room rates with breakfast for parties of 16 people and above for locals and foreign visitors.
Manager U Peter Soe Naing said locals can get a 10pc discount at the hotel, depending on room type. The normal rate for a standard room for locals is K18,000 for a single and K21,000 for a double, and for a superior room K24,000 single occupancy and K27,000 for two people.
“For parties of 16 people and more, the hotel will slash its foreigner rate from $24 to $18 for single occupancy and from $30 to $24 for double in a standard room,” he said. “The cuts for superior rooms are from $30 to $24 for one person, and from $36 to $30 for two guests.”
U Peter said most guests are French, German, Singaporean, Thai and Taiwanese, and occupancy was at the usual level of 25pc to 30pc. After Cyclone Nargis in May last year, bookings fell 50pc for each month during the low season through to September.
“This year’s bookings are still a bit slow because of the global economic crisis, so we had on average 10pc bookings for each month from May to June,” he said.
Sedona Hotel Mandalay has been offering a two-day/one-night executive package for locals and foreigners since April 1 for $188 a person, including accommodation plus American buffet breakfast and roundtrip airfare with Yangon Airways.
Mandalay Hill Resort Hotel is offering special room rates for locals from April 1 to the end of September. The fees in a superior room are K45,000 for one person and K55,000 for two, down from the normal superior room rates of K55,000 for single and K65,000 for two.
Daw Thida Aye, senior sales and marketing manager at Mandalay Hill Resort, said customers included locals, Thais, diplomatic staff, and members of various NGO and UN organisations.
Yangon-based Central Hotel arranges shuttle bus and car rental services from Yangon to Ngwe Saung and Chaungtha beaches from June to September. A spokesperson for the hotel said the shuttle fees between Yangon and Ngwe Saung are K10,000 per person for one way and K19,000 for roundtrip.
Depending on car type, rental service for a two-night/three-day package costs between K370,000 and K470,000 from Yangon to Ngwe Saung. Rental fees range from K390,000 to K490,000 between Yangon and Chaungtha for a two-night/three-day trip.
The spokesperson said the hotel attracted more foreign guests from March to June, of whom about 60pc to 70pc are foreigners and 30pc to 40pc locals. Most guests are members of various NGO organisations, and business travellers.
“Central Hotel increased occupancy by an average of 20pc to 30pc from April to June, compared to the same period last year. The hotel has 88pc to 90pc occupancy for each month of this low season, compared with 75pc last year,” he said.
“Yuzana Hotel and Yuzana Garden Hotel in Yangon have offered 10pc discount on the normal rate of accommodation for foreigners during the low season,” said Ma Yin Myat Thwe, sales and marketing executive of Yuzana Group of Hotels.
“At Yuzana Hotel, the normal rate for accommodation ranges from $30 to $60 depending on room type, and $36 to $84 at Yuzana Garden Hotel,” she said.
Daw May Myat Mon Win, director of sales and marketing at Chatrium Hotel in Yangon, said the hotel’s occupancy increased by 14pc from April to June compared to the same period last year, with guests from Japan, Europe and ASEAN countries.
“The potential for Myanmar’s tourism will grow after 2010. But this year, the global economic crisis and swine flu will make it a tough year for the industry,” she said.
