From left, Chali, Yap, Dolly, Liaw, Wong, Shim and Ho during the lucky draw.
KOTA KINABALU: The leisure travel market is affected as consumers tighten their belts due to increasing prices of goods, said Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) president Datuk Seri Winston Liaw.
Liaw said the prices of goods kept rising since the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) last year, and thus consumer spending was more on essential items rather than leisure products such as travel.
“The travel industry is 50 per cent business travellers and 50 per cent leisure travellers.
“The sentiment for the leisure travel market is not good, it has been affected tremendously,” Liaw said that yesterday during the drawing of lucky winners for five flight tickets sponsored by airlines during the Sabah International Travel Fair 2016 organized by IEC Midas recently.
Satta and Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) Sabah Chapter were the co-organizers of the event held at Oceanus Waterfront Mall on October 28 to 30.
Liaw said Satta had to promote the industry in order to stimulate the market, such as by holding more travel fairs.
On the other hand, Lee Chun Fung, a client of Times Holidays Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, is the lucky winner of the grand prize – an economy class return ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Hong Kong sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines. The flight will transit in Brunei Darussalam.
Meanwhile, Wong Chew Lan and Darvina Abdullah, both clients of Airworld Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, each won an economy class return ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore sponsored by Silk Air.
The MASwings-sponsored return ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Tarakan for two pax went to Agnes Yong Siew Ken, a customer of Airworld Travel and Tours, whereas Yusrini Suzani bintu Yusof won return ticket for two pax from Kota Kinabalu to Mulu.
IEC Midas managing director Dolly Jimayol thanked the Royal Brunei Airlines, Silk Air and MASwings for sponsoring the flight tickets for the lucky draw, adding that the second edition of the travel fair would be held next year.
On the other hand, Silk Air Sabah manager Esther Ho said the airline was holding sales till November 20 for the travel period ending May 31, 2017.
“Silk Air offers full services, including 30 kilogrammes baggage allowance and in-flight meal.”
Also present at the draw were MASwings Sabah area manager of commercial and regional management Chali Awang, Royal Brunei Airlines sales administration officer Leanna Yap and MCTA Sabah chapter chairman Lawrence Wong and vice chairman Shim Vun Ming.