The new normal is here to stay and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) especially within the travel and tourism sector are especially affected and find themselves adopting digital and focusing on domestic demand to ensure business sustainability.
To support the recovery of this sector, Google Malaysia, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the Malaysian Association Of Tour And Travel Agents (MATTA), are announcing a special webinar series under the Mahir Digital Bersama Google initiative to help businesses connect with local consumers online.
With live streamed sessions beginning on September 30th and on October 1st, 7th, 8th and 14th, Malaysian business owners and individuals will be able to sign up for free training and equip themselves with relevant digital knowledge to help kickstart their presence online, and grow their business using various digital tools from this programme.
The sessions will be conducted by trainers from Google and will also feature a sharing session by an SME guest, the founder of a KL Chinatown locale Kwai Chai Hong.
“COVID-19 may have demanded a lot from us, but we believe it is possible to emerge on the other side bigger, better and stronger. We’ve seen people and businesses adapt with resilience, determination and ingenuity, and as we move towards Malaysia’s economic recovery, we believe the only way for us to go from here on out is upwards and onwards,” said Marc Woo, Country Head of Google Malaysia. “We hope these training would be helpful for Malaysian small and medium businesses within the travel and tourism sector as we continue on our road to recovery.”
“Mahir Digital Bersama Google programme will further accelerate MDEC’s goal in creating digitally-skilled Malaysians and digitally-powered businesses, especially in the tourism industry. Through this collaboration with Google, the programme seeks to scale Mahir Digital Bersama Google’s content nationwide by empowering local SMEs in this sector to take the digital leap. We are confident that this programme will encourage more SMEs to fully embrace new digital tools offering a pathway beyond recovery from COVID-19,” said Surina Shukri, Chief Executive Officer of MDEC.
“In MATTA’s effort to reboot the travel and tourism industry, we are glad to collaborate with Mahir Digital Bersama Google to equip our members of travel agents and tour operators with the tools to take their business online. With the recovery approach presenting so many challenges to businesses, it has never been more crucial for us to come together to empower our members’ businesses by upskilling them with the right knowledge and tools to enhance their digital capabilities and boost business presence post Covid-19,” said Datuk Tan Kok Liang, President of MATTA. “Through these learnings, we hope that our members can take a leap into the digital world to connect with travellers more easily and effectively expand their audiences.”
Recent Google research on travel
A recently published Google research on travel found 1 in 2 people in APAC are eager, or very eager, to resume travel. However, the region’s travel recovery is fragmented, with countries currently in three different phases of recovery: (1) New normal: Government restrictions have eased with signs of sustained travel demand. (2) Transition: Government restrictions on movement; localized travel demand is starting to increase. (3) Early reopening/lockdown: Restricted movements imposed.
The research also uncovered three key learnings for businesses that can help with travel recovery:
- Fuel digital interest: Customers crave helpful information online.
- Be relevant in COVID: Safety is the new brand, but perception of safety differs by country.
- New way of doing business: The need to reignite Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) travel.
Workshop schedule
| Date | Time | Topic |
| September 30th | 10 AM | Travel trends in light of COVID-19 To better understand consumer sentiment around travel during the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve been conducting travel intent surveys across APAC and in Malaysia. Through our findings, we have identified key trends for travel businesses to prepare for the road ahead. |
| October 1st | 10 AM | Get your business on Google Search and Maps Explore Google My Business, a free tool for businesses, allowing you to connect and engage with your customers on Google Search and Maps. |
| October 1st | 11 AM | Small business spotlight: Kwai Chai Hong Hear how the founder of Kwai Chai Hong leveraged digital tools and solutions to connect and engage with their customers during these challenging periods of time. |
| October 7th | 10 AM | Get started with Google Analytics Learn and analyze how customers engage with your business website, then turn these insights into well-informed, actionable decisions. |
| October 8th | 10 AM | Introduction to online advertising Learn how to reach more customers and grow your business with Google Ads. |
| October 14th | 10 AM | Get started with Google Ads Master the essentials of creating and customizing Google Ads campaigns that get your ads in front of customers looking for what you offer. |
Business owners interested in joining the Mahir Digital Bersama Google training or learning more about the sessions can do so at goo.gle/my-mahirdigital.