KOTA BHARU: The increase in diesel prices is beginning to put pressure on the tourism industry in Kelantan as operators are forced to adjust operations to accommodate the rising costs.
State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee Chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Md Nor said the use of diesel was an important component in tourism industry operations.
“It involves various sectors including transportation such as tourist buses as well as the use of generators at accommodation premises such as resorts.
“Tourism operators such as buses, lorries and even resorts that use generators require diesel, so this affects their operating costs,” he told Bernama recently.
He said that in the current situation, entrepreneurs need to be smarter in managing expenses and adjusting operational strategies to control costs, thus ensuring business continuity.
At the same time, Kamaruddin did not rule out the possibility that there were operators considering price adjustments if the cost increase continued, but advised that the measures implemented should not affect customer demand.
“Small entrepreneurs are seen to be more affected by the lack of savings to absorb increased costs compared to large entrepreneurs who have stronger financial capabilities,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the state government would continue to play a role in supporting the tourism industry, including examining the forms of assistance that could be channeled through relevant agencies, even though the issue of fuel prices was under the jurisdiction of the federal government.
Last Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance in a statement announced that the retail price of diesel in the Peninsular had increased by 50 sen to RM6.02 per litre while in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan it remained at RM2.15 per litre.
— BERNAMA
