Friday, January 24, 2025
Malaysia has introduced a new policy requiring travel agencies to hold a bank guarantee of RM250,000 (approximately $56,195) to enhance travel safety. The president of the Malaysia Association Tour Agency (MATA), Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khalid Harun, stated that the requirement is particularly crucial for agencies organizing Umrah to ensure high service quality and safeguard the welfare of pilgrims.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) is currently reviewing the regulatory conditions that mandate this financial assurance for Umrah service providers. This measure is part of the Tourism Industry Regulations under Act 482 and plays a vital role in the licensing updates for outbound travel companies specializing in pilgrimage tours.
This regulation update follows an incident where 379 pilgrims were stranded due to failures by a well-known Umrah operator, underscoring the importance of these enhanced regulatory measures.
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