Aerial view of Pulau Mabul.

(Source: Pulau Mabul Semporna/Facebook)

SEMPORNA - Price manipulation for tour packages in Semporna, produces major losses for travel agents, as various travel agents provide tour packages at varying prices.

Mohd Shahril Niezam, 21, Marketing Executive of Jejak Borneo Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd said that one of their biggest obstacles is that people have started not believing in many travel agents because of unlicensed travel agents.

This has affected Shahril because his travel agency must compete on price with unregistered agents, and the majority of unregistered agents charge low prices, but tourists' safety is not prioritised.

“This is due to rumors regarding the safety of Semporna, especially after the kidnapping issues,” said Shahril in an interview session with Berita DIMENSi via WhatsApp.

Shahril Niezam expressed frustration with this issue by stating that it could have an impact on the industry and be a price killer in the tourism market.

He said Jejak Borneo is registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) and they need to comply with the Tourism Industry Act 1992, which MOTAC has given a price floor (the lowest price at which a product can be sold) to all travel companies.

“Hopefully, this issue can be resolved as soon as possible by eliminating unregistered agents immediately, such as creating an organization or tourism hub as a medium to filter registered and non-registered agents,” Niezam said in an interview with Berita DIMENSi.

A travel agency that offers registered tour packages in Semporna.

(Source: Jejak Borneo Travel/Facebook)

However, some difficulties affect various parties, such as the problem of unlicensed travel agents manipulating trip package prices in Semporna.

According to the Astro Awani article, the enforcement team of the Sabah MOTAC will act on this issue to protect the tourism industry in Semporna.

Many unlicensed travel agencies have interfered with the work of registered agents. Some of them lower the prices by half, causing registered agencies to lose money.

These unregistered agents do not follow all the procedures set by MOTAC regarding safety and skill issues in the event of an emergency.

Marshaliza loves to take tour packages during school holiday.

(Source: Marsha Cha/Facebook)

As someone who loved to travel, Marshaliza Mohd Shukri, 22, stated that the unregistered agency always made an unfair profit by charging excessively high charges for island packages.

“There are some agencies that employ equipment that is not proportionate to the price, such as the use of boats in bad shape that break down along the route.

“As well as a lack of activity equipment such as swimming goggles and so on,” she said during the interview session with Berita DIMENSi through WhatsApp.

As domestic tourism is growing again, it is recommended to all registered travel agents to keep holiday package prices stable and not to take advantage of price increases.

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