Tourists are back

By OLIVIA MIWIL | news@nst.com.my
06 July 2013| last updated at 11:45PM

SABAH LULL OVER: Travel firms upbeat as bookings pour in

KOTA KINABALU: THE state's tourism sector is picking up after a two-month slowdown following the Lahad Datu intrusion in February.

Tour operators said bookings have shown a positive sign, indicating a strong rebound in the industry -- one of three main thrusts in the government's development agenda after agriculture and manufacturing.

This feedback came from travel agents at the state's annual Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Travel Fair here yesterday,

The three-day fair was launched by Deputy Chief Minister and Industrial Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah.

Borneo Nature Tours Sdn Bhd, which promotes Danum Valley Rainforest tour packages in Lahad Datu, said 85 per cent of their bookings had been filled till October.

The travel company's reservation coordinator, Christa Esty Samuel, said the booking were mainly from European countries.

"The intrusion caused a 30 per cent cancellation.

"But, in April, more inquiries came our way," she said, adding that the company also provided mountain biking and four-wheel- drive excursion packages.

Another travel agent, Sedco Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, said the intrusion made them more determined to promote the state by constantly providing information to their counterparts in other countries.

Its assistant marketing officer, Farrah Ziela Bolkiah, said the company had been working closely with the Malaysian embassy in Taiwan as their clients for the inbound tourism package were mostly from there.

Borneo Paradise Holidays Sdn Bhd, which offers the most packages on island-hopping activities, is also getting a lot of bookings.

Its business development manager, Jerelyn Lai, said now was a good time to go to sea and bookings were picking up.