GEORGE TOWN: The Covid-19 pandemic continues to see more casualties in the tourism sector.
Penang's Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort employees were informed via a WhatsApp message today that the hotel was closing down and to collect their termination letters next week.
In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's sole Hard Rock Cafe, which opened in 2015 closed yesterday.
Hard Rock Cafe, in a statement, had said that the company had been working closely with safety and health agencies to align itself with local and global public health guidelines in response to Covid-19 and has temporarily closed all of its cafes in Malaysia during the movement control order (MCO).
"However, Hard Rock Cafe Kota Kinabalu will not be reopening even after the MCO is lifted, " it said.
Hard Rock Cafe outlets are found in Penang, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur. Penang and Desaru in Johor are home to Hard Rock Hotels.
In Penang, the general manager of Rainbow Paradise, Gulab Mahatam Rai told employees in the message that the resort's owners Champsurf Sdn Bhd had decided to close the hotel down with immediate effect owing to the excessive losses experienced by the hotel due to Covid-19.
Champsurf is a wholly-owned subsidiary and operating arm of Rainbow Paradise Resort Bhd, the owner operator of Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort.
The full headcount of the Tanjung Bungah beach-fronting hotel is not known, although it is estimated that there are around 100 Malaysian employees on its payroll.
Employees were directed by Rai to present themselves at the hotel on Monday and Tuesday respectively, to receive their termination letters.
He said the initial notification had to be conveyed to all staff via WhatsApp owing to the Movement Control Order.