KUCHING, Dec 28: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Sarawak Chapter appeals to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to relook at enterSarawak in order to facilitate the process of applying for entry into the State.
Its chairman Oscar Choo said some applicants found the enterSarawak application not user-friendly, troublesome and to a certain extent caused unnecessary anxiety due to last minute confirmation.
On top of that, he noted the SDMC hotline was never available when questions or help was needed which in the end fell back on the travel agents to assist their clients.
He added almost all members of the travel industry association have had their fair share in assisting and tutoring their guests when it came to the enterSarawak application.
Choo pointed out that some of the questions posed by applicants have made it difficult for Matta Sarawak members to reply back to them.
“The questions raised are: What if our application is not approved? What will happen to our deposit, paid accommodation and flights?
“All these questions make closing a business deal extremely difficult as members do not have the confidence nor answer to assure the clients that they will certainly have the approval,” he said in a statement.
As Sarawak is currently promoting inter-state travel, Choo said tour operators or partners from other states of Malaysia felt that the enterSarawak application is a hassle and as such, they would divert their clients to other parts of Malaysia.
Choo asserted that Matta Sarawak members were left deserted due to inefficacies in the application process.
Thus, he hoped that a more relaxed entry requirement can be practised by SDMC to enable applicants to enter the State.
“In this extremely difficult period, the travel industry is trying its best to survive and endure the neverending pandemic, however enterSarawak is adding to the burden rather than helping the travel industry,” he added. — DayakDaily
