A VIDEO purporting to show a complete breakdown in communication between hotel staff and a guest from China has thrown up the question – should hotels in Malaysia have Mandarin speakers on duty to serve this demographic?
The query was shared online on Yahoo Singapore’s Facebook page which generated plenty of discussion.
This is what some had to say about this issue which seemingly goes beyond mere semantics or good business sense.
Many simply saw the incident as highlighting how the Malaysian hospitality industry was ill-equipped to deal with international travellers, especially with Visit Malaysia 2025 just round the corner.
Many said this was simply good business sense as it would give the business an added advantage.
Others thought it was unnecessary for hotels to cater to various foreign languages.
Another said it was up to individual organisations to decide how to staff their hotels.
Some pointed out that this depends on whether Malaysia’s tourism sector has this particular demographic on its radar.
More than few, though, felt that these visitors from China need to be better travellers by not expecting everything be catered to their whims and fancies.
However, some countered this by saying that if the hospitality industry in Malaysia is serious about attracting tourist from China, some concessions will have to be made.
Another pointed out that if boutiques in Milan can cater to Chinese tourists – probably in view of their purchasing power – Malaysian hotels should be able to do the same.
A large majority though felt that this was a decision for individual hoteliers as not all catered to this market. Furthermore, some argued it was not economically viable for all hotels to do so.
With vernacular schools again becoming the proverbial hot potato, this incident is a timely reminder of the importance of languages.
It also serves to highlight that perhaps Malaysia’s hospitality industry needs to be more proactive if it wishes to compete with neighbouring destinations which have all upped their game.
As pointed out by some commentators, Visit Malaysia 2025 will be trying its utmost to woo tourists from China. Can the hospitality industry really afford to ignore them by not having Mandarin speakers on board? – March 21, 2024
