PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) has submitted proposals to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in an effort to spur the industry to greater heights.

Its president Datuk Tan Kok Liang said a wish list was submitted to Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, that included incentives and funding from the Government to expand its services to serve the tourism industry.

“Our proposals include extending the incentives granted for inbound tour operators to 2020, and easing conditions to help new or small companies, many of them bumiputra operators.

“Tour operators handling more than 750 foreign tourists and 1,500 domestic tourists should get tax incentives.

“We are also seeking funding for capacity building in the travel sector, from training apprentices to reskilling and upskilling of current practitioners.

“The aim is to raise professionalism, using the Malaysian skills certificate and diploma as the standard for formal recognition of industry players,” he said in a press statement on Saturday.

“In order to compete effectively online, incentives are needed for online marketing and promotions, and double deductions allowed for e-commerce websites for inbound operators.

“This will allow our country to earn and retain more foreign exchange, and collect more taxes from local companies,” he said.

He added that to attract more high-spending tourists, MATTA is seeking a waiver on import duty for luxury tour vehicles and that excise duty exemption be extended to all classes of tourism vehicles.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/16/matta-submits-budget-wish-list-to-spur-industry/#s4630sXGSCQOm1sR.99