Having many things on PIA’s plate at one time means that Syazman needs to run a tight ship, and to do that successfully means having a good set of SOPs. Indeed, it was one of the first items looked into when the company began. In fact, there are particular SOPs or even sub-SOPs for different parts of PIA’s business, to make sure that all aspects and risks are taken care of for each type of activity.

“To flourish, PIA needed to expand by offering diverse and attractive packages, from organising leadership and teamwork programmes to event management, while the newest is with adventure tourism products. To further strengthen the company’s position, a concerted effort to qualify for MaTEx certification was made and PIA became one of the first local operators who succeeded in being awarded this recognition. This success is largely due to the strong SOPs that the company has developed, which ensures all the safety and efficiency aspects for our clients that of course also ensures our clients’ satisfaction.” Mr. Azmansyah Osman, Manager, Pearl Island.

Focus and passion extends solidly into safety, which is critical in adventure tourism where the elements of risk are by nature always present and the highest standards of safety are thus required and embodied by Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It is required under MaTEx for all adventure tourism activities, covering all aspects from safety equipment to site condition to emergency reaction. From here, the complete SOP on implementation of adventure activities will ensure that OG complies with MaTEx certification.

“In the last six years, tourists have begun to know Gopeng as one of the great nature destinations in Perak. Here Outdoor Geeks is one of the local adventure tour providers offering a choice of adventure activities including river, waterfall and cave tours at Gopeng, delivering unforgettable experiences. We are proud to have been awarded MaTEx certification that provides the confidence on optimal safety for our customers. Located just 30 minutes from Ipoh city, Gopeng is one of the key attractions and a must-visit in Perak other than Kuala Kangsar, Taiping and Royal Belum State Park.” Mr. Gurnam Singh, Founder of Outdoor Geeks Products & Services.

There are lots of other accommodation options in Cameron Highlands. As for adventure tour options, Yusree points out that there are more than 100 companies doing hiking tours all over Malaysia. Competition is tough, thus healthy differentiation is key for everyone’s sustainability. For a start, appreciation of the environment needs to begin with awareness that it exists and is important. Towards this end Hikers Sleep Port has various environmentconscious features; some obvious and needed, some subtle and unique.