The glitzy ballroom on the 15th floor of Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa is uncharacteristically crowded for a weekday morning. The Short Stay Summit – billed the first of its kind in Malaysia – is taking place, and many stakeholders have flocked to the hotel in Selangor for a piece of the pie.
In attendance are representatives from government agencies, homestay operators, hotel associations, travel booking platforms and other relevant industry players.
Organised by HostAStay, a local startup that connects home owners to professional hosts, the summit comes at an especially important time in Malaysia. The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has recently urged all short stay operators in the country to register immediately.
Short-term accommodation (STA) refer to apartments, houses and rooms that are rented out, like hotels. The service is usually booked through online providers such as Airbnb and Agoda. Bookings vary from days to months.
