LATest e-bulletin June '25

Gabriele Di Terlizzi
7 days ago
8 min read

Look at the endless innovative touring products developed by LAT. From slow tourism to tours aways from crowds, from an agile system of modular scheduled departures in different languages to arts, architecture, outdoor, experiential, culinary food and education packages, just to name a few!

All our offers are strictly carbon contribution @ LAT Climate Contribution, all emissions being calculated and offset by projects in cooperation with Climate Partners.

In this issue: ① Quote of the month ② The Global Travel Agency & Tour Operator Sector ③ Human Capital in Asia-Pacific ④ So Many Good Reasons to Work with LAT ⑤ Malaysia Thaipusam, a lesson in self-discipline ⑥ Visit Malaysia Year 2026. Museums ⑦ Indonesia DMI 2025 to boost tourism ⑧ Timor-Leste, a rising star

Originality is the one thing which unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of

John Stuart Mill

The Global Travel Agency & Tour Operator Sector: A Portrait in the Present Tense

To grasp the scale of the global travel agency landscape as it stands today, one need only turn to the research firm IBISWorld, which, as of late April 2025, reports a staggering 571,541 registered travel agencies in operation across the globe.

Despite having ceded ground to online travel agencies (OTAs), the brick-and-mortar travel shop retains its relevance, with many travellers preferring the counsel of a seasoned professional when expertise is required. This sentiment rings especially true for the bespoke individual traveller, where bookings tend towards the intricate.

There is plenty of advantage that traditional travel agencies hold—even in an age of algorithms and artificial intelligence—is something no code can replicate: the human touch.

The digital age offers convenience, yes, but it is the enduring warmth and nuanced understanding of the traditional travel agency that sets it apart. In travel—as in life—it is not merely the destination that matters, but the journey, and it is in that sacred space that human connection becomes invaluable. When planning his next travel, one need to consider the timeless charm of a trusted agent, where the dreams are not merely booked, but thoughtfully elaborated to fit personality and wishes.

Numerous voices in the industry echo this belief, noting the tangible benefits of working with a human agent rather than surrendering one's journey to the cold, mechanical precision of OTAs.

With a travel agent and tour operators, one receives not only bespoke service, but also insights born of years—sometimes decades—of traversing the field. Such expertise is especially invaluable for families with young children or elderly members, those with medical considerations, or business travellers with exacting needs.

A seasoned agent’s knowledge can often unlock savings elusive to online platforms—be it in flights, accommodation, or exclusive experiences.

Moreover, many a weary traveller has discovered, too late, the hidden fees tacked onto online bookings—costs that elevate the final tally well above the siren call of the advertised price. Traditional agents, meanwhile, offer clarity and comprehensiveness, managing every detail from transfers to tours, so the client need only arrive and embark.

And let us not overlook the golden key: access. Many agencies hold the privilege of exclusive offers—packages that bestow far more than their price suggests.

Perhaps the greatest virtue of the traditional travel agency lies in its ability to adapt and respond. Simple itineraries may well be booked online, but more complex arrangements—multi-city routes, special accommodations, or changes mid-journey—require the deft hand of a professional.

In moments of uncertainty or upheaval, a travel agent is not merely a planner but a lifeline, reducing stress and smoothing the path with practiced ease.

This peace of mind extends well before the journey begins. A good agent provides essential updates, offers personalized suggestions, and ensures every detail is in place. And should things go awry—cancelled flights, lost baggage, overbooked stays—they are but a call away, ready to set things right.

In an age increasingly shadowed by digital fraud and identity theft, the reassuring presence of a physical office and a familiar face becomes more than quaint nostalgia—it is a form of security.

While online platforms do their best to safeguard personal data, traditional agencies are fortified not by firewalls but by relationships—built over time, rooted in community, and polished by consistent, face-to-face service. That quiet reputation, nurtured over years, is perhaps the strongest safeguard of all.

LAT Customer Service Contact Number Update

Effective 1st June 2025, all previous LAT customer service contact numbers have been deactivated.

We have now consolidated our text and voice support into a single contact number:

📞 ‪+62 361 6208838

Please update your record accordingly.

Human Capital in Asia-Pacific

At the PATA Annual Summit 2025 in the storied city of İstanbul, Türkiye, the Pacific Asia Travel Association unveiled a seminal publication: The Evolving Tourism Workforce: Human Capital Development in APAC. This timely report casts a discerning light upon the workforce-related challenges and emerging opportunities shaping the region’s dynamic tourism landscape.

The report weaves together voices from across the spectrum—government agencies, industry leaders, academic institutions, and the region’s youth—painting a textured portrait of human capital in transition. Through its considered analysis, strategic recommendations, and illuminating case studies, it offers a roadmap for nurturing a sustainable and resilient workforce across Asia and the Pacific.

Launched in January 2024, the study represents over a year of in-depth interviews, comprehensive surveys, and meticulous research—arguably one of the most far-reaching explorations of the Asia-Pacific tourism workforce in recent memory.

Its findings reveal a constellation of pressing challenges. Among them: a persistent struggle to attract fresh talent into the fold, high attrition rates, and enduring gaps in skills—particularly in the realms of digital fluency and sustainability. More worryingly, the report underscores a misalignment between workforce development efforts and the broader sustainability ambitions of the industry.

The study calls urgently for deeper cooperation between the public and private sectors, and between academia and enterprise. Central to this is the preparation of young people—equipping them not only with the practical tools they require, but with clarity of purpose and a realistic sense of the professional terrain they are poised to enter.

One of the more poignant revelations is the dissonance in expectations and policy approaches across government, industry, education, and youth. The report advocates for structured, ongoing dialogue to bridge this divide—ensuring policies nurture rather than hinder the flourishing of human capital. A notable concern is the mismatch between how prepared young people believe themselves to be, and how employers assess their readiness—laying bare the growing chasm between education and employment.

Crucially, the report reminds us that behind every skill and statistic is a person. It calls for renewed focus on the motivation and meaning that so often drive those who serve in tourism—and for safeguarding them from exploitative conditions that dim that spark.

So Many Good Reasons to Work with LAT

Established in 1991

Independently owned and operated

Purely B2B with travel industry partners

Online booking engine with immediate

confirmation of hotels, tours and transfers

Skilful Contents Provider and Technology user

Knowledgeable and efficient reservations personnel

Long and proud association with the MICE industry in all Lotus destinations

Fully committed to Sustainability and CSR

Climate Contribution for all packages and services on offer

Extensive selection of scheduled group departures and innovative product lines Direct access to a vast pool of local professional contributors

Owns 5 small boutique island hotels strategically located and one luxury sailing yacht

Multilingual guides in all destinations

Operations offices throughout its destinations

Centralised bookings and payments for multi destination tours 24/7 assistance with interactive voice response available in four languages

LAT Application with UpToDate itineraries and info for guests. Downloadable from Apple and Play Stores

TATTLER

Malaysia Thaipusam, a lesson in self-discipline

The woman gliding in a radiant sari of orange and red looked unnervingly serene—for one with a gleaming metal skewer piercing one cheek and emerging from the other.

Her composure, almost regal, is echoed by dozens of fellow pilgrims bearing similar instruments of suffering. Some have great hooks lodged in the flesh of their backs, suspending elaborate wooden structures above their heads or tethered by cords held like reins by companions walking beside them.

And yet, amid this spectacle of self-inflicted torment, not a single soul flinched. Their expressions betray no pain—only a trance-like focus, as if they had crossed into some liminal realm far beyond earthly sensation. The air pulsed with the thunder of drums and the hypnotic cadence of chants, infusing the scene with something otherworldly.

These is the Hindu festival of Thaipusam, which had commenced at the stroke of midnight outside Kuala Lumpur’s ornate Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. In a great tide of devotion, magnificently adorned chariot bound for the famed parade from the city centre to Batu Caves where the temple is located, just outside the city.

The chariots bear the idol of Lord Murugan, the warrior deity who, as legend has it, vanquished the demon Surapadman and his malevolent kin when they sought to pollute the world with evil. Thaipusam marks this victory—a day to give thanks for life’s blessings and to offer prayers for future grace.

As dawn brakes, one final trial remains: the ascent of some 300 steep stone steps to a temple carved into the mountainside. There, priests await, ready to remove the pilgrims’ kavadi—those ornate, often torturous burdens—and soothe their wounds with sacred ash.

HIGHLIGHTS

Visit Malaysia Year 2026. Museums

Malaysia is intensifying efforts to position museums as central tourism assets in preparation for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 with new laws and infrastructure upgrades supporting the strategy. The National Unity Ministry is in the final stages of drafting a law to regulate museum activities nationwide. Slated for tabling by November 2025, the legislation aims to provide a legal framework for museum governance, including the establishment of a Museum Council to advise and oversee the development and operations of institutions across the country.

Indonesia DMI 2025 to boost tourism

Indonesia is stepping up efforts to access the European market through the Discovering the Magnificence of Indonesia (DMI) exhibition in Amsterdam, to be held from October 30 to November 2, 2025. The event brings together tourism and creative economy stakeholders under a single platform. Following its 2024 launch, which focused primarily on the creative economy, this second edition sees partnering with the Indonesia Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) and the Indonesia Exhibition Companies Association (IECA) to expand the event’s scope into tourism and business events.

Timor-Leste, a rising star

Timor-Leste is poised to become the newest member of ASEAN—a development expected to unlock fresh opportunities for regional tourism. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the recent ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. With strategic planning, support from ASEAN mechanisms, and targeted infrastructure development, the country could position itself as the last undiscovered jewel of South-east Asia.

Our whole product for free and independent travellers, groups and MICE are based on a Climate Contribution programme. This means that part of the greenhouse gas emissions that will be generated are offset by projects in collaboration with Climate Partner, one of the leading climate protection solution providers for companies.

The arising emissions are being compensated by supporting a third-party certified geothermal energy project in Darajat, Java (Indonesia). The project helps to meet the growing demand for electricity in Indonesia. By increasing the share of renewable energy, the dependence on fossil fuel-based electricity decreases, and about 705,390 tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved per year.

For over thirty years, Lotus Asia Tours Group has provided services and assistance to travellers the world over, specialising in the design and implementation of corporate events, activities, incentive tours and motivational travel, targeted at FIT, GIT and MICE markets, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indochina. The group also operates five boutique island hotels in Indonesia, in Lombok, Bali, Sulawesi, Papua and Maluku, as well as a seven-cabin luxury sailing yacht.

To learn more about our brand please head to our website, or contact us directly; we look forward to hearing how we could help make your next trip, tour or event memorable and successful.

Corporate Office D-5-4 Megan Avenue 1, 189 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia T: +60 (0)3 21617075 · F: +60 (0)3 21617084 · E: latgroup@lotusasiatours.com

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