Plan early for cheap travel, say tourism groups

PETALING JAYA: Local travel may cost more these days, but there is a reason for it, say tourism industry players, as they offer tips on ways to cut costs and get more bang for your buck.

Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) president Mint Leong said the cost of things such as food and accommodations are higher mainly due to inflation.

“For example, a plate of noodles that used to cost RM10 is now RM12, because the prices of raw ingredients have increased.

“Human behaviour is another factor,” she said, adding that this is where businesses raise their prices to recoup for the years of losses incurred during the pandemic.

However, she said that service and quality may not have risen in tandem with the price hike, leading to tourists flocking to destinations such as Thailand, where they could get more value for money services.

“This does not mean that Thailand is cheap. You can find a RM97 hotel room in both Langkawi and Hatyai but in Thailand, the service and location may be better.

“That’s why people feel it’s better to go there,” she said, noting that 4.5 million Malaysians visited Thailand last year, topping the list of the kingdom’s over 28 million tourists in 2023.

Leong added that Thailand had been successful in promoting new tourist attractions outside Hatyai such as Pratalung, Songkla and Trang, as well as promoting Muslim-friendly tourism in southern Thailand, besides being known for having a wide range of options to suit any travel budget.

Leong noted that there are ways to plan domestic holidays that are more budget-friendly.

Her top five tips are to plan earlier, to travel during the low season, to go for less popular destinations and to contact a travel agent or consultant for special discounts, as well as to be a smart traveller.

“Tourism is all about planning,” she said.

Consortium Inbound Tourism Alliance (CInTA) chairman Uzaidi Udanis said the rising costs was not exclusive to Malaysia but is happening all over the world as inflation impacts the travel market.

“We acknowledge in terms of prices, it has been a bit challenging for us to cope with increased costs from manpower to even parking, which has all indirectly affected our prices.

“However, Malaysia can still offer good bargains for international tourists, especially with our low currency.

“Our subsidised petrol also means that transportation costs can still be controlled,” he said.

He also noted that Thailand had a lower inflation rate compared to Malaysia, which could be a reason for more visitors opting to visit the country.

Uzaidi advised Malaysians who wish to travel domestically to plan ahead for their travels and to avoid school holidays and public holidays as prices tend to be more expensive during these peak periods.

“Hotels are now practising dynamic pricing whereby when there is a high demand, automatically their system will push the prices higher, just like airlines.

“Our advice is to plan well in advance and to not coincide with the holidays,” he said.

Uzaidi also advised tourism players to prepare their tour packages to cater to the changing demands of post-pandemic travellers.

“Experience tourism is very important, so tour operators must now cater to this need,” he said.

Melaka Tourism Association (MTA) president Madelina Kuah said local tourism is getting expensive due to manpower issues and fewer tourist arrivals, the need for skilled labour, the adoption of technology, and catering to the needs of Muslim travellers.

To save, she advised holiday-makers to travel during weekdays, adopt budget planning, going for budget airlines as well as travelling by bus when possible, or using the ferry to get to the islands.