SINGAPORE hotels are facing a manpower crunch as they rush to meet demand from rising tourist arrivals, with some properties even forced to restrict their occupancy levels.

Many of the 160 member hotels under the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) have reported a “critical shortage” in their operational departments, especially housekeeping.

“For some members, the shortage in housekeeping staff could even be as high as 80 per cent. The starting pay for these positions in many hotels has increased by 20-30 per cent, yet there are no takers,” SHA executive director Margaret Heng told The Business Times.