Verify a travel agency licence on MOTAC
You found a good price and want to be sure the agency is real.
Booking with confidence
Planner, agency, guide, driver: who does what
Several people touch your Japan trip, and you want to know who is responsible for what.
A Japan trip involves five kinds of people, and each does a different job. The planner designs the route, the booking party holds the bookings and payments, the guide explains places, the driver moves you, and the hotel hosts you.
Knowing who does what lets you ask the right person the right question.
Who does what?
| Role | What they do | What to ask them |
|---|---|---|
| Planner | Designs the route, compares options and explains costs. | What is in the plan, and what is only a suggestion? |
| Booking party (travel agency) | Makes bookings, takes payment and issues terms. | What is the legal name, MOTAC licence number, price and cancellation terms? |
| Guide | Explains places and helps you move through them. | What hours, language and group size are included? |
| Driver | Moves the group by vehicle for set hours. | What hours, route and vehicle size are included? |
| Hotel or ryokan | Hosts you and serves meals if booked. | What are check-in, meal and room details? |
What does JapanQuest do?
We plan the route and prepare the quote. We compare routes, explain costs in ringgit and shape a day-by-day plan.
Before any payment you receive in writing the name of the party taking the booking, its MOTAC licence number to verify on the official portal, the price and the cancellation terms. That keeps the money and the responsibility with the party named on the invoice.
What does a travel agency do?
A Malaysian travel agency makes the bookings, collects payment and issues the terms, and it must hold a MOTAC licence. In Malaysia, MOTAC provides information on travel agency licensing under the Tourism Industry Act 1992, and a section for verifying registered entities 1.
Our guide to verifying a Malaysian agency’s licence shows how to check any agency, ours or anyone else’s. Do it before you send any money.
What do guides and drivers do?
A guide explains places and smooths your day. A driver moves your group by vehicle. A guide-cum-driver combines both roles, which suits families and elders.
Read what a guide-cum-driver tour includes and how a private guide-driver day works for hours, scope and extras.
What should you ask before you pay?
Ask these five questions in writing:
- Who is the legal seller of this booking?
- What exactly is included, and what is extra?
- What are the cancellation and change terms?
- Who do I contact if a train, flight or hotel changes?
- How do I get a receipt and an itemised invoice?
See cancellation questions to ask before paying and the list of inclusions to confirm for more detail.
What if something changes during the trip?
Contact the party who made the booking first, usually the agency. Keep your messages in one thread so changes are on record. The hotel, train company or driver handles their own service on the day.
For checks before you book, read what Malaysians verify before booking.
If you are unsure who would handle your hotel, train and guide bookings, send us your trip outline. We reply with a clear split of roles and the questions to put to the booking party before you pay.
Keep planning
Cancellation questions to ask before you pay
You are about to send a deposit and want to understand what happens if plans change.
How a private guide-driver day works
One person and one car for the day sounds right, and you want to know how it works.
Inclusions to confirm in writing
A package price looks clear until you ask what the line items actually cover.
What Malaysians verify before booking Japan
You are close to paying and want a clear list of what to check first.
What a guide-cum-driver Japan tour includes
You are comparing private day quotes, and each one lists different things.
Questions travellers ask
What does JapanQuest do in this chain?
We plan the route, compare options, explain costs in ringgit and prepare your quote. Before any payment you receive in writing the name of the party taking the booking, its MOTAC licence number to verify on the official portal, the price and the cancellation terms.
Who do I pay?
You pay the party named on your invoice, which is the booking party or the supplier it names. Ask for the legal name, the amount, what it covers and the cancellation terms in writing. Do not pay a personal account unless the agency confirms it in the invoice.
Who is responsible if a hotel or train booking goes wrong?
The party that made the booking is your first contact, usually the agency. The hotel or train operator is responsible for its own service. Ask the agency in advance how changes, cancellations and disruptions are handled, and keep the answer in writing.
How can I check any Malaysian travel agency's MOTAC licence?
MOTAC provides information on travel agency licensing under the Tourism Industry Act 1992 and a section for verifying registered entities. Check the agency's name there before you pay. Our guide to verifying a licence walks through the steps.
Sources
Figures are checked against these sources and dated so you can see how current they are.
- Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC)accessed 2026-10-20
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.