Merdeka Spirit Fills Putrajaya As Hotels Hit Full Occupancy

By Mohd Ashraf Syafiq Mazlan

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Excitement is mounting in Putrajaya ahead of the National Day 2025 parade, with hotels across the federal administrative capital already fully booked as local visitors and corporate groups gather for the celebration at Dataran Putrajaya.

Dorsett Putrajaya’s Sales and Marketing director Sarina Shariff said the hotel has reached full occupancy for Aug 30 and 31, which coincide with the Merdeka festivities.

She attributed the strong demand to the hotel’s prime location and the vibrant programme lined up for the long weekend.

“We are fully booked on those dates, mostly by local and corporate guests involved with the contingents, including Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and other agencies," she told Bernama recently.

To accommodate the surge, Dorsett Putrajaya has rolled out a comprehensive operational plan, including early preparations, revised staff rosters, streamlined check-in procedures and heightened readiness across its food and beverage outlets.

Its Marketing Communications assistant manager Rosmarlianamanja Rosli said additional shifts had been introduced to maintain smooth operations.

“We have revised housekeeping schedules and stepped up our crowd management measures to ensure guests’ comfort and safety,” she said.

At Moxy Putrajaya, hotel manager Marshall Chai reported a similar surge, noting that his property was also heading for full occupancy, boosted further by the extended weekend.

Checks on major booking platforms found that leading hotels in Putrajaya, including DoubleTree by Hilton Putrajaya and Zenith Hotel, are already fully booked, while many others have only limited rooms left.

This year’s National Day parade is set to be the biggest yet, with 81 contingents taking part compared to 57 last year.

The Information Department (JAPEN) director-general Julina Johan said the Aug 31 celebration will involve 14,010 participants, 116 animals and performances by 21 marching bands showcasing patriotic and cultural themes.

She added that 8,000 tiered seats will be made available for spectators, double the number provided in 2024.

The National Month festivities will feature a 30-hour non-stop programme, Riuh Merdeka 2025, running from noon on Aug 30 until 6 pm on Aug 31 at the Monumen Alaf Baru parking area in Presint 2. The event will showcase performances and activities celebrating unity, culture and creativity.

Themed ‘Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni’, this year’s National Day celebration will take place in Putrajaya, while Malaysia Day will be hosted in Penang on Sept 16.

-- BERNAMA