5,000 Malaysian hotels start imposing tourism tax

[Tianmo]

So will they start to u turn again when fewer hotels want to collect this money for them? 

 

So all I have to do is get my Malaysia counterparts or someone local to book and check in for me, and there i dont have to pay what tax liao. 

 

And then suddenly, more locals are staying in their own hotels, and visitors start to stay on the street. Silly.     

 

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/5000-malaysian-hotels-start-imposing-tourism-tax

 

KUALA LUMPUR • •Some 5,000 hotels around Malaysia have started implementing a new tourism tax for foreign visitors.

Foreign tourists are charged a flat rate of RM10 (S$3.20) per night per room, while Malaysians and permanent residents are exempted.

"We will impose a RM10 flat rate from five-star to zero-star hotels for foreign tourists, and Malaysians will be exempted from the tax across all classifications of hotels," Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz told Parliament last week, as quoted by The Star newspaper.He said his ministry had estimated that the government would be able to collect RM210 million a year, based on an average occupancy rate of 60 per cent of the 237,391 rooms currently registered with the government.

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The plan to introduce the tourism tax had been controversial, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, which were worried fewer tourists would visit the two East Malaysian states.

The government had initially planned to charge between RM2 and RM20 per night, depending on the type of accommodation.

 

 

Malaysian Association of Hotels president Sam Cheah Swee Hee said hotel operators started charging the tourism tax on Friday.

"Not all hotel operators are ready. We will do it manually until the system is ready," he said. He added that hoteliers would submit their tax collection to the Customs and Excise Department by next month.

The department is taking a "friendly approach" to encourage hotels and lodging operators to register for the tourism tax, said its director-general, Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy. "We will not be harsh as the announcement of the tax came a little late," he added.

The government announced early last month that the tourism tax was to be enforced from Friday.

Mr Subromaniam said the department would try to contact hotel operators that have not registered, rather than chase them to quickly do so. The number of registered accommodation providers so far is 5,000, out of the estimated 10,000 establishments nationwide. "We are giving hotel operators another month. We expect all to register with us by the end of September," he added.

Bernama news agency reported that hoteliers must display the newly introduced tax rate separately from the room rates.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (Sarawak Chapter) honorary secretary-general John Teo Peng Yew said hotel and resort operators need to adhere to the new ruling, following a recent meeting with the Finance Ministry and the Customs and Excise Department.

 

Edited September 3, 2017 by Tianmo

[Thaiyotakamli]

Just came back from putra, no tax yet

[Tianmo]

Just came back from putra, no tax yet

 

 

you stayed at the number 5001 hotel.     

[Thaiyotakamli]

you stayed at the number 5001 hotel.

Or they forgot to charge me? Kekeke

 

 

Iirc melaka hotels do charge tourism tax last time and collected by melaka govt

[Acewin]

Or they forgot to charge me? Kekeke

 

 

Iirc melaka hotels do charge tourism tax last time and collected by melaka govt

Ya I remember Melaka and Penang govt collect tourism charge before this was implemented.

[Voodooman]

Heard this was implemented without much consultations with the hospitality industry, many were caught off guard and manually collecting this new tax.

 

But Malaysia room tariff are really reasonable. 5-star for less than S$200 a night. Can't get it in HCM, Jakarta and even Thailand.

[Terrylmt]

KL 4- and 5-star hotels have been collecting this tax for the longest time. Forgot how much it is - will need to dig up old invoices. Ugh.

[Thaiyotakamli]

Ya I remember Melaka and Penang govt collect tourism charge before this was implemented.

So now will double charge???dont

Heard this was implemented without much consultations with the hospitality industry, many were caught off guard and manually collecting this new tax.

 

But Malaysia room tariff are really reasonable. 5-star for less than S$200 a night. Can't get it in HCM, Jakarta and even Thailand.

100 can get too

[Wt_know]

what's next? pangsai tax? hehe

Edited September 3, 2017 by Wt_know

[Bacteria83]

Seem like they looking at lot of ways to generate more money.

 

GST, increase toll fee, now hotel tax. it really make u wonder about the 1mdb saga.

Edited September 3, 2017 by Bacteria83

[Kb27]

the hotels must have hated tourists.

[Dleodleo]

Just for info, our hotels have to pay govt "F1 tax" during F1 period in Singapore.  That is why the room rates are very expensive during F1 period.

[Jman888]

you can dun go in but can insist dun want to pay meh?

[MTL]

Someday people will come up with a perfect model.For now bo bian,just move on.

[inlinesix]

Just for info, our hotels have to pay govt "F1 tax" during F1 period in Singapore.  That is why the room rates are very expensive during F1 period.

 

Somemore, have to block book over the wkend.

[Kb27]

Just for info, our hotels have to pay govt "F1 tax" during F1 period in Singapore.  That is why the room rates are very expensive during F1 period.

 

hotel surge pricing.

take it or leave it.

[Jman888]

the customer who walk off still have to find another hotel that also impose the same tax mah    

Melaka budget hotels forced to pick up tab as tourists refuse to pay S$3 levy

PUBLISHED: 5:43 PM, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

MALAY MAIL ONLINE

 

Tourists at Melaka's popular Jonker Street. The S$3.18 tourism tax is only meant for foreign tourists, but many are refusing to pay up. Photo: Malay Mail Online

 

KUALA LUMPUR — Budget hotel operators in Melaka have complained about being forced to absorb the RM10 (S$3.18) tourism tax as foreign tourists are refusing to pay up.

 

Melaka Budget Hotel Association chairman Goh Hock Gin told the New Straits Times (NST) that some foreigners have caused a scene at hotel registration counters over the nightly fee.

 

“Some customers who had pre-booked with us simply walked off, although we had reserved rooms for them.

 

“Some even made a lot of fuss at the counter and to avoid the ugly scene, we had no choice, but to absorb the cost,” he was quoted as saying.

 

Mr Goh said the implementation of the federal tourism tax, which took effect on September 1, had the biggest impact on budget hotels.

 

“If the room rate is RM50 per night, an additional RM10 would be an adjustment of a 20 per cent increase. This is a lot for budget travellers.

 

“Some of our room rates are as low as RM40 per night. Those who can afford to stay in four-star or five-star hotels will not have a problem with forking out an additional RM10, but this is not the case with budget travellers,” he was quoted as saying.

 

The tourism tax introduced this year was initially planned for roll-out from August 1, and the levy was originally meant to cover Malaysians staying at hotels as well.

 

The scheme was later reviewed, delayed and changed such that only foreign tourists would be incur a flat charge of RM10 per night following public uproar.