Brunei hotels' occupancy, sales up in 2007

THE local hotel industry saw sales rise in 2007, thanks to better occupancy rates due to more tourists coming to the sultanate.

According to the Brunei Tourism Development Department, tourist arrivals in the January-November period rose to 176,000 against 120,000 last year. Consequently, hotel occupancy rates in the sultanate have improved.

Alex Riva, Sheraton Utama Hotel's General Manager revealed a two-figure jump in their occupancy rate for 2007. "Our occupancy rate averaged at 37 per cent, which was a 12 per cent increase from 2006," he said.

Sheraton is also bullish about 2008 as it aims for a 30 per cent increase by tapping into the leisure market. "We're aiming for the leisure segment, mainly from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand," Riva said.

To boost occupancy, he said, Sheraton Utama is planning to market the hotel for its location.

"We are located near the cultural and historical landmarks of Brunei," he said, adding the hotel wants to promote the hotel's geographical advantage to attract tourists to stay with them.

Le Gallery Suites Hotel also confirmed sales have increased in 2007.

"Our sales (revenue) have definitely grown compared to 2006," Anthony Thormon, hotel supervisor said, adding that the increase in demand has prompted them to look into expanding the number of hotel rooms they have available.

"Hopefully, 2008, will be just as good, if not better. Due to the demand we've received this year (2007), the management is planning to increase the number of rooms ... We already have 33 at the moment," Thormon said.

Even a four-month old hotel in Kiulap, Palm Garden, is basking in 2007's uptick in tourist arrivals. The newly established hotel has enjoyed a healthy start to its business, and expects better returns this year.

"Mostly, we cater to the business market ... We've been quite fully booked," Joanna Robles, a representative from the hotel said.

And with business being brisk, Palm Garden Hotel will soon be opening up a spa to entice more customers and beef up occupancy rates for 2008.

Rizqun International Hotel also hopes to entice more guests with aggressive marketing.

Another strategy, is by preserving the quality of its service and room facilities and the quality of its food.

In an interview with The Brunei Times in August last year, Rizqun's General Manager, Muhammad Irwan Goh said, "Business is doing quite well."

He noted that since its official opening in July 2006, the average monthly occupancy rate is 34-35 per cent.

In a previous report by The Brunei Times, Brunei Tourism Development Department director, Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohammad, said that hotel occupancy rates in the sultanate have increased an average of nearly 50 per cent in 2007.

Brunei Darussalam's tourism satellite account indicates that the travel and tourism sector contributed 11 per cent of the sultanate's gross domestic product in 2006.

It employed 21,900 people in the same year, or 13.1 per cent of the country's total employment.

The Brunei Times