Would-be-travellers advised to use travel, tour agencies with good track record

February 15, 2019

SIBU: Members of the public who plan to go travelling or on a tour are advised to liaise with travel and tour agencies that have a good track record in handling tour packages rather than using unknown ones.

Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when giving this advice here yesterday also stressed that this was important to avoid falling prey to unscrupulous travel agents who lure unsuspecting tourists with cheap travel packages.

He said this in response to the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents’ (Matta) call for consumers to be vigilant over ‘cheap travel packages’ offered by travel agencies, especially online. Matta president Datuk Tan Kok Liang had commented on a media report on a travel package scam involving over RM810,000 and affecting some 120 travellers.

Tourism tax should be maintained, says Abd Karim

May 24, 2018

SIBU: The tourism tax introduced last September should be left as it is since it does not burden the Malaysian public, says Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“Tourists and foreigners are merely required to pay a minimal sum.

“Why must Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) now call for its abolition? It is just a small amount to pay by tourists and foreigners – RM10 per room per night which is a small amount if we take the exchange rate of US$, £ (Sterling Pound) or (Euro).

“Unless Matta can show us that tourist arrivals are very much affected by this restructured tourism tax, I believe we should just leave the tax as it is.”