By ZUNAIDAH ZAINON
zunaidah@dagangnews.com
KUALA LUMPUR 16 Dec. - About 250 retailers have accepted offers under the Rental Relief Package that was recently announced by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd. (MAHB).
They also expressed great relief on the support given to help them continue operating at the airport and ease their cash flow.
The relief package which offers up to 100% rental rebate for 6 months in 2020 will assist airport retailers who are struggling from the financial impact of COVID-19.
According to MAHB, there are about 90% of 335 airport retailers nationwide have already responded to the customized Rental Relief Package.
Group Chief Executive Officer of MAHB, Datuk Mohd. Shukrie Mohd. Salleh said that the airport operator is making every effort to help its business partners within its affordability and utilizing its fund.
He said, there are a few who have declined the assistance and a few more who have yet to decide.
"I hope that we will also receive support from the bigger players that have come a long way with us and over the years have built very successful businesses with the airport.
"Our rental relief package is customized to their needs and requirements," he said in a statement today.
On top of the full rental rebates for 2020, the relief package is customized to offer the pre-existing retailers special rental which is tied to the passenger growth rate starting from January 2021 onwards.
For retailers who have signed up under the Commercial Reset Program, the relief package is customized to offer a 30% rebate on rental starting January 2021 with a mechanism to compensate them with a contract extension based on the actual traffic growth rate.
Positive responses were recorded from relieved retailers such as Berjaya Food Berhad that manages Starbucks Malaysia & Brunei, Superstrap+, Gibca Ventures Sdn Bhd, Ban Heang (M) Sdn Bhd, Syidah Company, Sweet Food Convenience Store, Sony, Guardian (KLIA), AD Interact, Noodles, Retail One (Little Malaysia), KLIATV, Talasco Dagang and Prima Mahir during the Virtual Concessionaires Conference 2020 held on 16 December 2020.
The Concessionaires Conference is an annual event held to provide airport retailers with insights into the travel retail industry and share future commercial-related plans by MAHB.
Due to the need to ensure safety amid COVID-19, the event was held on a virtual platform for the first time.
With the theme, 'Together We Thrive', the virtual event was attended by more than 100 representatives from all retail partners operating in MAHB airports nationwide. - DagangNews.com