KUALA LUMPUR: Visitors staying in Perak will be charged a local service fee of RM3 per night effective Jan 1, 2025.
Perak Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng said the fee was part of the Perak Hotel Enactment 2023, which was approved by the state assembly in May last year.
She said the charge will apply to all accommodation providers, including hotels, homestays, and short-term rentals like Airbnb.
"The main objective of this enactment is to regulate all accommodation services and to have uniform regulations for the different segments of the sector.
"Other states have implemented similar charges under different names. The Perak government's implementation of the charge was postponed to Jan 1 next year for the sake of tourists visiting in conjunction with Visit Perak Year 2024," she told Free Malaysia Today.
Ng said the local service charge would aid the state in enhancing the quality of services at tourism destinations.
Starting July 1, relevant local councils would also issue licenses to run accommodation services, including hotels, campsites, chalets, boathouses, and homestays.
Ng added that the state government would grant operators a one-year grace period to comply with the new regulations, following consultations with stakeholders.
"During this period, we will only advise these operators if they have not yet applied and registered for the license with their local councils. No penalties will be imposed," she said.
However, Ng encouraged operators of accommodation services to promptly apply for the license with their local governments, emphasising that the fee would not be burdensome.
The Perak Hotel Enactment replaces the Boarding House Enactment, which had been in effect since 1927.