Which company this time? http://my.news.yahoo.com/msian-travel-agen...-035002786.html

Kuala Lumpur (The Star/ANN) - Sixty-eight people's dream of an overseas holiday were dashed after they were allegedly duped by a Malaysian travel agency of 177,500 ringgit (US$59,075).

One of the victims, sales executive Lim Guat Teng, lost a total of 25,000 ringgit to the travel agency in Ampang here.

Lim purchased 20 holiday packages for a five-day trip to Thailand in April costing 1,250 ringgit each.

"On May 23, a friend told me that the person in charge of the agency had gone missing.

"I called the travel agent but I could not get through," said Lim, 31, during a press conference at the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Public Services and Complaints Department at Wisma MCA.

She said after discovering that the travel agency had closed down, she lodged a police report.

"I feel bad because I was the one who organised the trip. I hope the travel agent will return our money soon," said Lim, whose family was due to leave for Thailand on Wednesday.

Another victim, Choo Kok Thoon, 42, was supposed to go to Seoul on a seven-day trip and had made payments totalling 14,670 ringgit.

"I was supposed to leave for the trip on May 25.

"On May 24 I went to the agency office to ask about some matters but was told that the travel agent had run away with my money," said the sales manager.

Sales executive Ng Chen Teang, 31, said she paid 7,882 ringgit to the same company for a holiday package to Beijing.

"A friend told me that my travel agent had run away with the company's money. I went to their office on May 30 but it was closed," he said.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Michael Chong advised the public to be careful when signing up for holiday packages, especially those that were exceptionally cheap.

"It is important to check the background of the tour agency," he said.

Chong added that 332 people had lodged reports with the department, claiming to have lost more than 408,000 ringgit to travel agencies last year.

In 2009, the department received complaints of losses amounting to more than 600,000 ringgit against eight travel agencies.

Heard abt them too...am going to use them in my next tour and see how it goes.

Pls take note that the tour fare that you pay to the local travel agency here includes miscellaneous fees. These miscellaneous fees covers insurance, airport tax, tips/tipping and visa. The tips/tipping fees are for the DRIVER, TOUR GUIDES AND TOUR MANAGERS/LEADER

Recently I took up a package tour to Europe from one of the very reputable agencies in KL. On the last day of the tour, the tour manager open an empty envelop and went round collecting 10 Euro per pax as tips for the driver. I paid the tips as I was not aware if the tips collected in advance does include the driver..I presumed it was for the guides and tour manager/leader ONLY. On return I checked with the tour agency and found the tips collected in advance as part of the tour fare do include the driver. They apologies for the misunderstanding and that is it. To me, I dont see as a misunderstanding but just unhealthy way of providing a service to the customer.

By right the tour manager/leader should know about this or travel agency's standard operating procedure should not allow tour manager/leader going round to collect money from customer. If the customer insists of giving tips to whoever they want, let customer do it themselves. Tour manager/leader should refrain from doing this. Since tips/tipping had been collected in advance why collect additional more tips/tipping? Does the bus driver provide a much better service to the tour manager/leader that collect tips for him and provide poor service that does not collect tips for him? Maybe tour manager/leader in this forum can comment on this matter and those booking tours through the travel agency need to take note.

Suggest you complain it to Matta and let them deal with it. The travel business are so good that this travel agency do not care about the consumer.