Travel firm in Langkawi first of its kind to set up co-operative for staff

TROPICAL Charters Sdn Bhd is probably the first travel firm in the country to form a co-operative for its staff to enable them to enjoy more fringe benefits.

Based in Langkawi, its founder Datuk Issac Alexander, an outspoken advocate of sustainable tourism, said he was inspired to form a cooperative after attending a conference on the matter by the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA).

Hence since early this year, Alexander or Alex to friends, has established the co - operative for 60 staff within the Tropical group, which provides yachting, charting and travel agency services to inbound tourists in the island resort.

He said that the first benefit was for the staff to be given stakes in the company through the co-operative.

Then, it is followed by upskilling courses and medical benefits, which would be channelled through the co-operative, said Alex.

"We want the entity to be involved in businesses. To invest and seek good returns for the co-operative. We also hope they can explore investing in tourism start-ups with strong potential.

"We want our colleagues - the staff to have stakeholder roles and further benefit in the company."

Contented staff is good motivation for the company to fare well in the competitive nature of the tourism industry, he added.

Alex said that to entice the staff, he needed to explain the benefits of joining the co-operative and the majority have agreed to the prospect of providing more value to their employment here.

Future benefits of the co-operative is to launch technical and vocational educational training (TVET) for its members.

There is a need to upgrade skills including in foreign languages to bring more value to tourism too.

The co-operative is chaired by Mohd Fadhir Kamaruddin and annual dividends are expected to be in the range of 10% to 18%, depending on the returns it receives, said Alex.

He said that Tropical Charters is also heeding the call by the Federal Government to expand the number of co -operatives in the country.

Reports from the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission stated that there were over 16,000 co-operatives last year.

In 2019, the 14,417 co-operatives in Malaysia generated an annual turnover of RM24.65 billion and held RM147.3 billion in assets, it was reported. - September 29, 2025.