This article was first published in Chinese in the 5 October 2026 edition of Fortune Investment Weekly by Sin Chew Daily. [Link to article]
Writer: Lin Yu Xin
Translation: Kok Wei Yip
Profile
| Name: | Dato’ Sri Koh Yock Heng (Kohsan) |
| Age: | 62 |
| Education: | B.A. in Economics, Tokyo International University |
| Achievements: | ★1992 – 1997: Pursued studies in Japan. ★1996: Founded Apple Vacations alongside Lee Ee Hoe (Leesan). Nicknamed Kohsan. Currently Apple Vacations’ sole shareholder and Group Managing Director. ★1998: Began working as ground handling staff in Japan. ★Formerly served as Acting President of the Malaysia Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA), President of the Malaysia Cruise Industry Association (MCIA). Currently MCIA Deputy President. |
There is a Japanese expression called “isshou kenmei”, which means to devote all of oneself towards completing a single task. This saying perfectly encapsulates Dato’ Sri Koh Yock Heng’s (Kohsan) experience during his studies in Japan.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, while the travel industry was waiting for borders to reopen, Apple Vacations Sdn Bhd launched an initiative that seemed completely unrelated to their travel business – selling apples.
For a company that has spent 30 years in the tourism industry, this might have seemed like an incomprehensible move. But for Managing Director Dato’ Sri Koh Yock Heng, it was the most natural course of action. After all, when international travel grinds to a halt, one should not keep fixating on tourism.
“When you hit a downturn, you have to think outside the box.”
Kohsan Goes “Isshou Kenmei”, Apple Vacations Soars Post-Pandemic
Life is not all smooth sailing. When one hits a dead end, it isn’t the end of the road, but simply a sign to take a detour.
Looking back on the past two decades, Dato’ Sri Koh Yock Heng (Kohsan) brings up a revolving door of crises that have hammered the tourism industry: the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001, the 2003 SARS outbreak, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan and the 2020 – 2022 Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. However, for Apple Vacations, each shock has only spurred the company to chart a new path forward for itself.
Today, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary, Apple Vacations finds itself at another crossroads. Following the conclusion of the 59th Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair in September 2026, Kohsan managed to spare some time to chat with Fortune Investment Weekly about Apple Vacations’ future and his vision for the company.
Our interview took place at the Apple Vacations HQ, located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle. Despite travel being Kohsan’s passion and his life’s calling, the office does not scream “travel” at first glance.
Kohsan’s desk was spotless, lacking any ornaments or souvenirs from travels abroad. However, lining his wall cabinet were outing photos together with his wife and kids or mid-meal snapshots next to fellow professionals. All were displayed with barely any embellishments, but each held a precious memory.
Perhaps this is what travel means to Kohsan: beyond the simple movement between home and holiday, it also includes the beautiful memories created throughout.
On the opposite end of his office are a collection of documents, itineraries and marketing paraphernalia from Apple Vacations. These mementoes bear witness to the company’s 30-year journey, an ambition that has taken up the better part of Kohsan’s life.
Spanning his university days, his first forays into the travel industry and now the next phase of his company, Kohsan discusses three decades of Apple Vacations, why it must transform in the post-pandemic era and where its next direction might be.
“Till today, Apple Vacations’ 30 years of success shows just how important teams are. Looking at it management-wise, you absolutely need to build a top-notch team, but talent can’t be fostered overnight. Although it looks like I’ve held Apple Vacations together for the past two years, it’s actually been us together as a team that has carried the day. As the world changes, naturally the team does as well, pushing our company forward.”
Leesan Transfers Entire Equity Stake, Apple Vacations Revamps its Talent & Business Model
On 4 August 2024, Apple Vacations co-founder Dato’ Sri Lee Ee Hoe (Leesan) announced the full transfer of his company equity to Dato’ Sri Koh Yock Heng (Kohsan). When asked about changes in the two years since, Kohsan stated frankly that, in addition to implementing the equity transfer and a succession plan, he has also revamped the company’s talent and business model.
According to Kohsan, the travel industry is inherently vulnerable to shocks from market conditions and natural disasters. If businesses fail to adapt to market and consumer demands, they risk going under.
“Having a business model doesn’t mean that you’ll be successful just by doing things well. You need to understand that the only unchanging thing in this world is that things change. Keeping up to date with market shifts like changing customer demands – especially after the huge changes post-pandemic – is key, particularly because our industry is so vulnerable.”
Kohsan doesn’t mince words when he states that each crisis has forced the company to chart a new course.
“Like the SARS outbreak, for example. We found it extremely difficult because the whole world basically stopped. You couldn’t go anywhere, any and all travel itineraries were barred by the authorities. But if the going gets tough, the tough get going. When conditions are challenging, you must solve it with a positive mindset.”
It was these lockdown days that revealed new opportunities to Kohsan, inspiring him to found two new subsidiaries and gradually rebrand his company into Apple Travel Group. At the same time, a succession plan was being formulated.
“In 2021 and 2022, we founded AA Aviation and UbinGO Vacations, both specializing in wholesale ticketing and affordable travel respectively.”
After 30 years in travel, Apple Vacations has firmly established itself as a one-stop, upmarket travel agency. During the pandemic, it had even pivoted by launching two subsidiaries to cover the market niches of affordable travel and wholesale ticketing.
When asked how the company managed to survive the pandemic and even spin off two companies, Kohsan smiled as he said that a positive mindset and practical business strategies allowed him to weather the crisis.
“This mindset is a must-have for entrepreneurs. Practical business means you must face problems head-on. Particularly in such a people-centric industry like tourism, everything depends on the strength of people. Without a strong team, achieving this is simply impossible.”
Selling Apples, Surviving Off-Season
Though past crises have served as catalysts behind Apple Vacations’ pivots, the Covid-19 pandemic was a completely different story as it brought tourism to a complete standstill.
“When everyone couldn’t travel, travel agencies ran out of business. So many of us couldn’t survive and of course, we faced a difficult environment. We had to cut salaries, lay off staff – all the while trying to keep our core team in one piece.”
Once the core team was settled, management began to brainstorm about any possible activities left under travel restrictions. It was during this “gap period” that Kohsan was inspired to take his ethos of welcoming change to the next level.
“Back then we were selling apples, using the name of a travel agency called Apple Vacations to sell apples and souvenirs from overseas. Why did we do such a thing? The reason is simple: when you hit a downturn, you have to think outside the box. In fact, after selling apples and souvenirs non-stop for two years plus, we actually achieved decent returns.”
Retaining the core team during the pandemic lockdowns was by no means an easy task, Kohsan recounted at length. Any remaining staff had to show up for work, but without business what work was there to do? This issue would become a constant headache for management.
“From a manager’s perspective, we naturally had to find things for them to do. But little did we know, our efforts led to three surprising outcomes. First, having work gave the team a reason to return to the office. Second, it kept us engaged and on good terms with customers, allowing us to share market updates from time to time.”
As for the third outcome, this revolved around the travel industry’s greatest hope during this period – the resumption of travel. Kohsan revealed that, due to the company maintaining operations, it managed to keep in touch with customers as well as business partners during the pandemic, allowing it to lay the groundwork for the recovery period.
“I still remember when Malaysia enforced the Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18 March 2020, followed by the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and then the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) before finally reopening all borders and economic sectors on 1 April 2022. Because our company was closely following the latest news, we were already actively preparing for the reopening of tourism activities well before borders reopened.” Kohsan shared candidly that this was perhaps Apple Vacations’ boldest step yet.
“In the first week when we relaunched, the company received RM6 million in customer deposits alone.”
Looking back, Kohsan said that they had estimated borders would reopen by April at the latest and that they had started preparations to resume tours almost six months before based on this estimate.
“We were launching promo travel packages with 25 seats for every country. We also reached out to our partners in airlines and ground handling. With their support, we managed to offer a tailor-made tourism recovery package with 50% discounts.”
What excites Kohsan about this period was Apple Vacations’ ability to embrace change while maintaining operations. This in turn signalled to customers that it was open for business, maintaining confidence in the company.
“Thanks to this, our business recovered six months ahead of our competitors. Never resting on our laurels and constantly innovating – this is a fundamental principle in business. We are also quite fortunate, because this mindset has allowed Apple Vacations to grow from a small travel agency into the one-stop, comprehensive travel company it is today.”
From Travel Agency to Corporate Group: On the Road to a Centennial Company
Kohsan’s ability to face crises with calm and optimism is deeply informed by his late mother Chen Xiu Zhi.
“My father passed away when I was six years old, so I don’t have many memories of him. But my mother’s toughness and perseverance when she raised me and my siblings under extremely harsh conditions – that kind of resilience deeply inspired me.”
He added: “When you’re doing something, you must persevere, hard work alone is not enough. Look at Apple Vacations and how it has gone through rain and shine for 30 years till today – both hard work and perseverance were extremely important here.”
When broached on his succession plans, Kohsan sees it as involving his children and the corporate team, with consensus between both being a key pillar.
“I am fortunate that both my children are interested in taking over the business. But they are still pursuing their studies; my son is 23 and studying business management in Germany while my daughter is 22 and studying accounting in Scotland. By next year, both of them should be able to return, join the team and learn the ins and outs.”
Kohsan is clearly delighted to discuss his children and their willingness to succeed him, but if they and the team cannot agree on a singular vision, he says he will side with the team.
“Apple Vacations now has a headcount of over 300 people. Against just two, of course the 300 are much more important. Moving forwards together will require clear goals, which means not relying on outdated business models. Market competition today is so fierce, plus customer demands for travel have changed. So our business philosophy will be key here while our team serves as the company’s core pillar.”
Kohsan is motivated by a mission to help everyone fulfil their travel dreams, but he hopes that as they learn the ropes, his children will go beyond inheriting his business and mission to find their own purpose in work and life.
“I work in travel, so I’ve always brought the children to see the world while encouraging their interests from a young age. But I also feel some responsibility towards their future and work life. So, both of them won’t be joining as bosses, their mission will be to fulfil our customers’ needs and wants.”
Gathering his thoughts, Kohsan added: “They must absolutely have this sense of purpose to truly integrate and be part of the team. Leading a team requires you to find your purpose. And when you’re leading a team, you can’t let your personal feelings cloud your judgement. ”
10 years ago, Apple Vacations had been eyeing a listing on the Malaysian stock market. When asked if there were any plans to revive this move, Kohsan simply stated that while going public has traditionally been the benchmark of corporate expansion, it is no longer the only route to raising capital and further expansion.
Collaborating with KL City Hall to Develop Tourism Zones
“Currently, a large part of my focus is on collaborating with Kuala Lumpur City Hall to develop the area around our headquarters into a little tourism zone, almost like a community revitalization initiative. We hope to inject new life around here to create a destination that blends art, culture and cuisine into one. ”
As for what the future holds, Kohsan would only say with a smile that he shall see how the wind blows first.
“I am confident in both my current and succession team. As long as they’re set on the right path, I believe they’ll be able to smoothly lead the company forward.”
Kohsan’s mission to help others fulfil their travel dreams originated from his childhood in a kampung village when he dreamed of seeing the world. Driven by this conviction, he would earn a bachelor’s degree in Japan while working part time. Thanks to his studies and work experience, he would also learn the philosophy behind long-lived Japanese businesses. Likewise, he hopes that Apple Vacations can become a Malaysian business that lasts a century or more.
“In Japan, centuries-old companies are quite relatively common. So back then, I thought that when I returned home, I would also build a company that last centuries.”
Although Kohsan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tokyo International University in Japan, entering the tourism industry seemed like the most natural thing to him. Besides fulfilling his dream of seeing the world, he had previously worked part-time at a hostel during his studies alongside stints as a tour guide during the school holidays.
“Diving into tourism wasn’t a big leap from my life’s mission, but I still could not escape the issue of money.”
Born and raised in Yong Peng, Johor, Kohsan’s secondary school life was filled by hours organizing camps, campfires and mountain hiking trips with the Malaysian Boy Scouts. Once, together with his classmates, he even hitchhiked north all the way to Kuala Lumpur to attend a scout jamboree.
“Back then, I only had RM15 to my name. So many people gave us rides along the way, some even bought lunches for us. We chitchatted with all sorts of drivers, making our way car by car to Kuala Lumpur.” Kohsan still vividly remembers these moments from when he was 14 or 15. Thanks to the organizational and leadership skills he picked up from the Scouts, he would be quietly shaped into a person who loves groups and organizing activities together – so much so that he launched his own business before graduating university.
The Promise of Travel
Although the tourism business has taken up the better part of Kohsan’s life, as he approaches his sixties, his feelings towards travel have evolved from that of a wide-eyed tourist who wishes to see every inch of the world to that of a traveller, one who is attracted towards in-depth explorations and carefree adventures.
Despite being a travel connoisseur, his desk is conspicuously bereft of any souvenirs or baubles from faraway lands. It’s hard not to be curious about his outlook on travel.
“You can divide those who travel into two groups: tourists and travellers. Tourists have needs and wants: places they need to see, food and hotels that must have standards, and if they’re unhappy with anything, they’ll complain. On the other hand, travellers fully embrace in-depth travel: they go where the wind blows, eat whatever’s available, and even take poor weather in their stride.”
After elaborating on tourists and travellers, Kohsan couldn’t help but chuckle: “Even I was a tourist once. When I was young, I wanted to be the one who ate the most, saw the most and bought the most. But after a certain age, I just wanted to slow down and take it easy. Nowadays I don’t buy much, I buy a few souvenirs, enjoy a few local dishes. I’m much more honest with myself now, letting things happens and taking it as they come.”
Kohsan also looks forward to the day he passes the torch to his children, when he can take his wife in hand and roam the world together. Ultimately, he says, travel depends on one’s means, but no matter the age or income bracket, everyone has the right to see the world.
“Travel while you can. Even if you’re young and don’t have much income, you can still see the world. Don’t wait till you can’t walk before you decide to see the world.”
Over the past 30 years, Kohsan has dipped his topes into entrepreneurship, accumulated vast experience and resources along the way and revamped his business model during quiet periods. Throughout his journey and hectic work life, he has found a sense of fulfilment, not to mention what the business of tourism means to himself.
“Life is travel, and travel is life. This means that travel is already a part of my life, so I don’t see travel as a product waiting to be sold, but a way to create and leave behind beautiful memories. For example, when you travel somewhere on holiday – who you’re travelling with, what you see and what you eat – these memories were once journeys you took in your life, and they’re something that will never fade for a lifetime. ”
