The return of the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix has sharply lifted accommodation demand around Sepang, with spillover bookings extending to Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, according to Tourism Selangor.
Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Chua Yee Ling said most hotels in the Sepang area are now close to full occupancy as local and international fans arrive for the race.
Demand has also spread to surrounding areas, including accommodation near IOI City Mall, where some race personnel are staying.
Chua said the increase in interest was also evident on online travel platform Trip.com, which recorded a significant spike in accommodation searches following the announcement that Formula One would return to Malaysia.
“On the day of the announcement, searches for accommodation in ‘Sepang’ and ‘Kuala Lumpur’ on the platform increased 1,600-fold, excluding searches on other booking platforms and direct reservations with hotels,” she told Media Selangor.
The surge indicates a broader tourism and hospitality spillover from the event, with visitors looking beyond Sepang as rooms closer to the circuit become increasingly limited.
Hotels in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya are among those benefiting from the additional demand as racegoers widen their accommodation search.
The influx of motorsport fans is expected to support not only hotels but also surrounding tourism-related businesses, including food and beverage outlets, transport providers and retail operators, as visitors travel between their accommodation and the Sepang circuit.
