Safe reopening key to hotels’ recovery

Reducing the mandatory quarantine period and reopening the border safely and slowly are the keys to tourism recovery for all stakeholders as domestic demand alone is not sufficient for survival, according to Minor Hotels.

Small businesses will be hurt more than big players if the borders remain closed, with the unemployment rate expected to surge, said Michael Marshall, chief of commercial operations at Minor Hotels.

He said even Minor, which has 534 hotels globally, has reopened just over 90% of its portfolio, but those properties have to rely on the domestic market.

For instance, Thailand’s hotels improved their performance after the lockdown was relaxed in the middle of the year and most hotels could benefit from the government’s…