While the manpower needs for the hospitality segment have been adequately addressed, the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) feels the tour and travel management aspect is lacking as the skills needed and requirements are a bit different.
"Currently all universities and colleges provide courses with up to 80 per cent content on hospitality and the balance of 20 per cent touching on general travel. Non provides the actual job skill requirement and need for the travel industry. Therefore, for the travel itself, it is a major challenge in getting staff", lamented MATTA President Datuk Tan Kok Liang.
MATTA has more than 3,600 members, representing over 70 per cent of total tour and travel agents licensed by MoTAC.
Over 80 per cent of MATTA members are inbound travel agents promoting domestic tour and tourism products attracting tourist arrivals to the country besides the outbound, ticketing and Bumiputera segment.
MATTA has been actively engaging its members to be proactive and creative by designing flexible and tailor-made holidays packages responding to changing travel trends and consumer demand.