CHOICES TO TRAVEL AGENCIES IN JOINING TRAVEL TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

We refer to the decision by the Minister of Tourism, announced on 13 July 2010, that the Ministry of Tourism is allowing for licensed travel agencies to choose which travel trade associations that the agencies would like to be a member with rather than mandatory membership with MATTA, as currently stipulated in the Regulations 9A under the Tourism Industry Act 1992. The Minister of Tourism had explained that the Regulations 9A were included into the said Act in 2000 to strengthen the private sector enterprises in the industry then.

The Minister further explained that the industry has now matured and it is an opportune time to provide a choice to the private sector enterprises to decide which association that they would like to be a member of.

MATTA would like to state that we were aware of the decision of the Minister of Tourism before the public announcement of the said decision. The principal members of the Executive Council of MATTA had met with the Minister and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism to discuss the decision and the process of implementation of the decision.

MATTA would like to state that we recognize that it is the prerogative of the Ministry of Tourism in the matter, and we believe that that the Ministry had analyzed the current market situation and deliberated deeply before the reaching the decision. MATTA supports the decision in providing choices to travel agencies in the matter.

MATTA will continue with its programmes and activities, and providing services to our members as normal. MATTA will further strengthen and grow to ensure that we provide quality support and services to our members, and to show our value to travel agencies for them to continue to be a member of MATTA. MATTA believe that with this decision of providing choices to travel agencies, we will attract quality members for the good of the Association and industry. MATTA has the structure and adequate resources in the whole country to bring the Association and its membership to greater heights as we move forward.

MATTA would like to add that to date we have not receive any written confirmation on the above matter and we were informed about it through the said meeting and media announcement by the Minister of Tourism. We were later informed that the decision can only be implemented when the changes to the said Regulations are gazetted by the relevant authorities. We shall keep you updated upon release of the full details of the implementation.

Thank you

Your sincerely,

JOSEPH XAVIER

HONORARY SECRETARY GENERAL