KUCHING: Tourists planning both inbound and outbound travels are advised to seek services from registered travel agencies to avoid enticing yet unreliable offers.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, said that relying solely on online search engines for travel deals advertised as the lowest prices may not always be reliable or accurate.
“Many tourists turn to Google to find the best deals, unaware of the risks and potential scams associated with cheap offers. We’ve seen numerous instances where travellers, lured by the promise of low prices, end up falling victim to scams, discovering only after making deposits that their bookings do not exist,” he said during the 19th Sarawak MATTA Travel Fair 2024 at The Hills Shopping Mall today (Mar 8).
Snowdan also advised travellers to choose homestays registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MoTAC) or the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTPC).
He pointed out that unregistered homestays not only pose risks to tourists but also contribute to confusion.
“We are committed to registering them as official tourism products under the homestay category to ensure accountability and transparency. This registry will help in resolving any issues efficiently, should they arise,” he added.
