Travel fair banking on mandatory insurance

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair 2007 exhibitors are optimistic that the mandatory
travel insurance imposed on tour packages has restored public confidence.

“We are very confident that this fair will do even better than the previous ones, especially with the mandatory travel insurance schemes we have been told to sell to our customers,” said a senior staff of Hwajing Travel and Tours who wanted to be known as Lim.

She said people were more aware of the insurance and taking measures to protect their bookings.

The industry was shaken recently by the closure of a top travel agency causing its clients to lose money from bookings they had made.

Hundreds of exhibitors showed up yesterday to ballot for their booths for the fair scheduled for Sept 7 – 9 at Putra World Trade Centre.

Matta deputy president Datuk Mohd Khalid Harun said 90% of the booths had been sold.

“We’ve had a lot of enquiries and things are looking good,” he said.

“The rules and regulations this time are stricter and better, thus the high confidence level in exhibitors and public.

“There will be no more cases of tour agendes absconding,” he added.