Staying power

JASON Lim, managing director of Golden Tourworld Travel, reveals to Corinne Wan the company’s staying power and how it “graduated” from what was once known as a “Chinatown agency” into one of the biggest, most innovative and active tour operators/ agencies in Malaysia.Company historyWe started with a small team of seven and organised the first group tour - a five-day/four-night package to Medan, Indonesia. We had no permanent office then and squatted in a friend’s office. Then China opened to the world in the1990s and we expanded our itineraryto China. We had our own office by then and from there we slowly ventured into Europe and exotic destinations in the Middle East. As cruises became popular we ventured into the cruise market and we now have a cruise department within the company.We are also proud to say we bought a four-storey building in 1995 right in the heart Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle and within the tourist belt of Jalan Bukit Bintang. Wisma GTT, as we call our building, serves as our headquarters. We have a branch in Petaling Jaya with 10 employees.Company philosophyBe socially responsible for whatever products and services we market.Critical timeThe 1997-1999 regional economic crisis and the SARS epidemic in 2003. The latter was especially bad with no one travelling for six months. Outbound travel was practically dead.Overcoming the challengeWe embarked on cost control measures and went on a cautious growth path. We also used this lean time to reorganise our various departments and planned promotions for when the critical period is over. Demand for travel was there but just repressed.We managed to tide over this trying period without having to retrench any staff or cut the salary of our employees. And we were proud we could do this.Ultimate goal• Broaden the product range and excel in the delivery of services to our clients.• Will not cut corners or sacrifice quality• Continue with the building of our strong brand name• Be particular about the products we sell so our customers will get the best in quality and serviceOn the personal side: I have been in the travel industry for 35 years and I would like to have another 20 years in the travel trade to see how the industry will grow.Name of organisation: Golden Tourworld Travel (M) Sdn BhdYear founded: 1989Type of organisation: PartnershipNo of offices/branches: Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur; a branch office in Petaling Jaya, SelangorNumber of staff: 60 employeesRange of services/product offerings: Tour packages, cruises, airline ticketing, incentives travel groups, worldwide hotel reservations, travel related services