The fireside chat and luncheon on 15 January with Dato’ Gan Khai Choon, Chairman of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber’s Retail and Tourism Committee Chairman Nikki Ng made for an enjoyable afternoon, highlighted by interesting insights into the hospitality industry and delicious Malaysian food.
Dato’ Gan and Ng, both distinguished hoteliers of their respective generations, discussed the prospects for the sector in the Asia-Pacific and Hong Kong.
Speaking to a full house at New World Millennium Hotel over a traditional Malacca lunch, Dato’ Gan – who has helped to develop various notable projects for the Hong Leong Group, including the Grand Hyatt in Taipei and the Beijing Riviera – shared nuggets of wisdom from his decades of experience.
Discussing the strong ties between Hong Kong and Malaysia, Ng said in terms of trade, Malaysia was the city’s ninth largest trading partner and third among ASEAN members in 2022. That same year, Hong Kong was Malaysia’s fifth biggest export market. Economic and cultural connections are also being cemented as Chief Executive John Lee actively leads outreach initiatives to the ASEAN nations.
Pandemic-related Disruption
Hong Kong is renowned for its hospitality industry but the sector suffered severe setbacks during the pandemic, which disrupted global supply chains and forever altered how the world views travel. Strict Covid measures meant very few visitors, which translated into low room bookings. Banquets and large gatherings were banned, and restaurants also had to operate within limited hours.
Despite the challenges, Dato’ Gan said his company did not resort to lay-offs, and ensured their employees were well looked after. He explained how, by the end of 2022, one of their hotels had run out of money but still did not retrench workers.
The Way Forward
Hong Kong will always rank among the best destinations in the world to own and operate a hotel, said Ng, pointing out that the sector is a key economic driver in Hong Kong. In October last year, the city welcomed over 3 million visitors, registering growth by over 4,000% compared with the same month in 2022.
Asked about the “secret sauce” to success in the hospitality sector, Dato’ Gan said it took teamwork, the ability to seize opportunities during an upswing in market conditions, and last but not least, active involvement by hotels in ESG, where the “social” aspect should be viewed as a culture and way of life, and not merely a responsibility to be fulfilled. He added that in an era of global uncertainty, it was more important than ever to find new ways to reduce cost as well as wastage while committing to providing high quality service.
Responding to a question about whether the golden age in hospitality was a thing of the past, Dato’ Gan said the need of the hour was to adapt to the new normal in the post-pandemic world. Hotels must learn to be more flexible, and adopt a different agenda and operational model that is more hybrid and sustainable, while being open to employing smart tools such as AI to boost productivity.