KUCHING: It might be a positive way for travel agencies in Sarawak to adopt the zero-fare travel scheme in order to attract more visitors to the State.
This was said by the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah in referring to a statement made by Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) president, Datuk Winston Liaw, who urged tour operators (mostly overseas operators) in Sabah to stop offering zero-fare tour immediately as it was badly affecting Sabahan operators.
In response to this, Karim said, “Any packages that are cheap are good for consumers.”
Karim, when contacted yesterday, said in tourism, it must be understood that tourist money is not just for travel agencies, but also for hoteliers, food courts, restaurants, transportation companies, guides, resorts, homestays, lodging houses, including local crafts makers.
“Therefore, it is for travel agencies to work out how they could ‘share the cake’,” he said.
When asked whether any overseas travel companies are offering the same scheme for Sarawak, Karim said he has yet to be brief on it.
Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Sarawak Chapter could not be reached when contacted for further comments.
Liaw, during a press conference on Friday in Kota Kinabalu, explained that the zero-fare tours worked in such a way where tourists only pay the agents in the country, but when they go to Sabah, the state’s tour companies do not get any payment and have to depend on commissions from purchases at the shopping points.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) director for Sabah Ag Ahmad Zaki Abu Bakar, said it was against the Tourism Industry Act 1992 as tour guides and operators are not allowed to collect commission from merchants or service providers.
