New ‘minimum spend’ pay ruling angers tour guides

SEVERAL travel agencies are imposing a minimum spend rule before tour guides are paid causing an uproar in the industry, reports Sin Chew Daily.

Citing the Kuala Lumpur Tourist Guides’ Association, there are travel agencies bringing in tourists from China offering to pay local tour guides only if each tourist in a tour group spends an average of RM750 at shopping stops.

In a statement, the association said it was against such rules and urged its members not to take up assignments without a tour guide fee.

Malaysian Tourist Guides Council president Jimmy Leong urged the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to take action against such travel agencies.

He added that tour guides are not sales people.

“Tour guides should be paid for their services and should not instead rely on commission earned by forcing customers to make purchases,” he told the daily in an interview.

Leong added that such rules are illegal under the 1992 Tourism Act and urged those with more information to lodge a report with them.

> Singer Jung Yong-hwa, the frontman of Korean band CNBLUE, has completed his military service and announced that he will rejoin the music scene, reports China Press.

The 30-year-old, who completed his military service on Sunday, was met by some 1,000 fans that gathered in Gangwon province to celebrate his return.

“From next month onwards, I will be holding concerts and meeting with fans. I look forward to returning to the entertainment industry,” he told fans and received a minute-long applause after his announcement.