TTG ASIA MARCH 2019
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Maldives to review ‘outdated’
safety regulations
An unusual spate of reported tourist
deaths in the Maldives has prompted the
government to review safety standards
and step up inspection.
In December 2018 and January 2019,
at least six tourist deaths were reported.
Industry sources said that in most cases,
deaths were from fire or drowning.
“We have decided to inspect all tour-
ist facilities in the Maldives in the next
six to eight months. Regular monitoring
must be done to ensure regulations are
followed. Some regulations are very out-
dated and need to be modernised,” tour-
ism minister Ali Waheed told the media.
A special committee has been formed
on the advice of the president to review
regulations on operating resorts, guest-
houses, travel agencies, as well as rules
about water sports and fire safety.
President of Guesthouse Association of
the Maldives, Abdul Karam, said the as-
sociation has been reminding members
to stay vigilant in light of stronger water
currents these days.
Gili Lankanfushi in the Maldives
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Best Western acquires WorldHotels
WorldHotels has been acquired by Best
Western Hotels & Resorts, marking an-
other change of ownership since it was
bought over by Associated Luxury Hotels
two years ago.
The WorldHotels brand, which repre-
sents approximately 300 hotels and resorts
around the world, will play a “critical role”
in enhancing Best Western’s portfolio to
include the upper upscale and luxury seg-
ments, according to a statement from the
US-headquartered hospitality group.
David Kong, president and CEO of Best
Western Hotels & Resorts, said: “In the
coming months, our focus will be to un-
lock WorldHotels’ potential by improving
revenue delivery to its hotels while pro-
tecting its independent identity.”
M’sia to clamp down on unregis-
tered accommodation providers
Malaysia’s minister of tourism, arts and
culture, Mohamaddin Ketapi, has called
on unlicensed hotel operators and those
offering vacation rental services on Airbnb
to register with the ministry immediately
to avoid legal action.
Mohamaddin said the ministry was
also in talks with the Housing and Local
Government Ministry on implementing
conditions for Airbnb businesses, includ-
ing registration requirements, according
to a Bernama report.
The Malaysian Association of Hotels
(MAH) said in a statement that it had
been actively involved with the two min-
istries in drawing up regulations for the
home-sharing sector, based on laws in
cities such as Paris, Barcelona, New York,
San Francisco, Santa Monica and more
recently, Japan.
MAH remarked: “As much as Airbnb
had openly declared their willingness to
cooperate with the government of Malay-
sia, we have yet to see actual actions from
them to comply with existing laws, (such
as Innkeepers Act 1952, Registration of
Guests Act 1965, Tourism Industry Act
1992, Tourism Tax Act, etc).”
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