MELAKA: Melakas's historic Shah Beach Resort is back in action thanks to the overwhelming arrival of tourists.

       The resort in Tanjung Kling is one of the oldest players in the hospitality industry in the state, having been in existence since 1971.

       However, its operation was temporarily paused due to a series of movement control orders at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic beginning in 2020 and it had to lay-off some workers due to business losses.

       Shah Beach Resort manager Dennis Samford was among the few employees who stayed back during the temporary closure.

       “The resort gradually started operations and is expected to go back full capacity very soon.We have been receiving positive responses since the beginning of this year,” said Samford.

       “A number of loyal guests have been giving us the encouragement to reopen,” he said in an interview on Thursday (June 9).

       Samford added that he is now on a recruitment drive to meet the guests’ demands.

       “We also expect foreigners to stay at the resort during the year-end holiday season. Many of the foreigners who had experienced staying at the resort want to return to rekindle the pleasant memories of living in the kampung-style chalets,” he said.

       Samford added that he has received calls from foreigners asking whether the resort is open adding that one of the callers was from the United Kingdom who had spent his honeymoon at the resort in 1990 and wants to return on a nostalgia trip.

       Meanwhile, 44-year-old contractor Mohd Affudin Shah from Pulau Gadong was delighted that the resort is restarting operations.

       “The resort has fond memories for many of the locals when our parents brought us to experience a hotel stay when back then there were only a few such facilities,” he said.