PETALING JAYA: Budget hotel operators want the government to regulate online travel agencies (OTAs), saying that the industry would not be able to sustain itself in the long run without regulations especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Malaysian Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) also said that there was a need to enforce the short term residential accommodation (STRA) guidelines. MyBHA deputy president Sri Ganesh Michiel said the commissions OTAs charged to the hotel operators meant that they did not get enough profit for the continuity of their business. He said that the price war among the OTAs drove prices of hotel rooms down further. An OTA is an online marketplace that allows consumers to book travel products and services, including hotels and flights.
