Tourism changing with times

I REFER to the letter “Tour guides reduced to valets” ( The Star, Jan 17) and wish to explain why the writer is in such a predicament.

Firstly, it has to do with disruptive technology. For example, a smartphone can also tell time and take pictures, which only watches and cameras could do not long ago.

With the advent of ride-hailing apps, passengers are no longer solely dependent on taxis for doorto-door public transport. With mobile apps developed for a destination, brochures and maps became obsolete. They are not only expensive to print but are also accessible to only a few. Most are left to gather dust or discarded.

On the other hand, destination apps can be accessed from anywhere in the world, used for making bookings, navigation on arrival and the experience recorded and shared.

The vast majority of tourists no longer travel in groups and are free to do their own thing at their own schedule. Those interested to know more can use their fingers to find information 24/7.

The list goes on as almost every sphere of our lives has been transformed. Those who cling on to yes- teryear will suffer the consequences.

As for tour guiding, I have gone through the whole works, being a full-time tourist guide before licensing was introduced in 1975. I started guiding before passing a tourist guide course which was more of a briefing than training.

I still remember the compliments from a tour leader who was highly impressed with my sincerity as she could not tell it was my first tour group.

From 1993, I helped to organise tourist guide courses in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Langkawi. From 1990 to 2000, I was also a lecturer and examiner for tourist guide courses.

From 2006, I was running a tour- ism school and churned out many tourist guides. At that time, I had advocated the tourist guide certificate and the IATA/UFTAA Foundation Diploma as the two best qualifications in the travel industry (better than any tourism degree although they take no more than six months to complete).

In one batch of trainees, the average age was 39 as being a tour guide is more suitable for mature adults and not wet-behind-the-ears school leavers. Many tourist guides were trained over the years and a good number became captains in the travel industry while others moved on.

The majority of tourist guides registered with the Tourism and Culture Ministry are not dependent on guiding to earn a living. Many complete just enough assignments needed to renew their annual licence, which was hard-earned and too painful to let go.

Thanks to strong lobbying by the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council, the ministry has stuck to tourist guides being compulsory for tour bus passengers even though many do not want to pay for such services or need to have privacy.

That was why the writer complained that she was instructed to do nothing in the tour bus while a China group was transferred to a development site to be wooed by property agents.

“Sitting guides” have been a laughing stock for many decades as they are hired to do nothing other than to comply with the archaic regulation.

But until it is repealed, tour operators have to comply as some have been fined RM18,000 for not having a tourist guide on board.

It is only fair that customers be allowed to choose. If they wish to pay for the services of a tourist guide, they should be given the best available and not just anyone who is licensed. In any case, customers should not be forced to pay for a tourist guide they do not need or want.

If tourist guides remain mandatory, tour operators will just pass the cost to the customers but would lose out to budget groups.

Just like backpackers, budget groups such as students should not be dismissed lightly as those with a great and memorable experience in our country may return as bigtime investors.

The vast majority of tourists no longer travel in groups and are free to do their own thing at their own schedule.