Matta says, Wuhan virus can cripple the tourism industry

By TIN Media | Tourism Malaysia Published 4 years ago on 28 January 2020
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MALAYSIA:

The deadly outbreak of coronavirus can hit the nation’s tourism industry hard. Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) president Tan Kok Liang said agents had been receiving a lot of cancellations, although the actual number is not yet received.

Tan said , As of now, inbound and outbound tourism between Malaysia and China have been severely affected. Tan called on hotels, airline operators, tour operators and other service providers to be flexible with their cancellation policies.

He said“We hope the situation will be contained and will only be for the short term, otherwise the repercussions will be more severe as it will affect the global tourism,”.

Meanwhile, Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) chairman Winston Liaw, said Beijing’s ban would have a huge impact on the tourism industry in the state.

 “We expect a sharp drop in the coming months,” he said.

Liaw warned that some agents who depended fully on Chinese arrivals might not see a single customer from China, adding that many tour agencies would face financial difficulties.

He went on to urge the government to assist industry players to overcome “this difficult period”.

Liaw, however, said that local tour operators should take this opportunity to diversify their marketing targets and woo tourists from Europe and North America as well as the domestic market.

 


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