The Visit Sarawak Campaign is a sure-fire way to attract Malaysians and foreigners to visit the state in 2019, but tourist-friendly facilities and adequate amenities must be ready to welcome visitors and ensure their comfort and convenience.
Existing tourism industry players should have upgraded and expanded their services to cater to the influx of tourists. Like moth to a flame, many Sarawakians would be jumping on the tourism bandwagon and not remain bystanders.
Tourism is a sunrise industry everywhere, and with the Visit Sarawak Campaign extending far beyond 2019, the sun will be shining brightly on the tourism industry for many years to come. It is bound to increase the popularity of tourism programmes in higher learning institutes.
“Graduates with poor attitude and language skills will never be successful in their careers, however high their academic qualifications, which are of little use in the private sector as only performance matters.”
Many people are likely to apply for licences from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) to set up travel agencies, which are erroneously equated with tourism. They do not realise that shopping, accommodation, food and beverage are the main components, accounting for 72 percent of tourists’ expenditure.
For those after the tourist dollar, it would be more lucrative to operate retail outlets, budget hotels and restaurants catering to visitors. Tourists also spend on airfares, local transport, organised tours, medical, entertainment, sports and others.
Tourism is best described as a big business comprising many sectors and overlaps into many industries. Its scope is very wide, just like engineering with many branches such as chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical and so on.
To study engineering, a branch must be chosen and likewise, a tourism student should focus on a specific sector. Anyone who wish to work in hotels should study hotel management and those who prefer to work as chefs should learn culinary arts.
But many school leavers enrolled for general tourism and hospitality courses in colleges and universities. They were told they could later work in any job in the tourism industry but were trained for none, resulting in over 90 percent of tourism graduates working in other industries.
For those who did, many started work under their classmates who have been working after finishing school and gained several years of job experience, while they were studying academic programmes without learning the knowledge and skills needed to perform well at work.
But for the few graduates with strength of character and good communication skills, their rise up the corporate ladder would be swift as they could learn fast and well. This applies to all graduates, regardless of the courses they studied.
“The tour business is about meeting expectations, and a good tour leader or tourist guide must not only be knowledgeable and friendly but also be adept at handling people of various backgrounds and cultures, apart from ensuring promises given by various parties are delivered.”
On the other hand, graduates with poor attitude and language skills will never be successful in their careers, however high their academic qualifications, which are of little use in the private sector as only performance matters.
Most students enrolled for tourism courses because they like to travel. The reason given is as sound as choosing to be a construction worker because the wish is to own a bungalow or building.
Sadly, many tourism undergraduates have no inkling of their careers even after graduation, applying for jobs at random. Those showing little or no work commitment failed miserably at job interviews.
Entrepreneurs wishing to venture into the travel business ought to know that Motac grants three types of licences. The first is Travel Agency Business which permits the company to be an agency for principals such as airlines and hotels.
A travel agency may book airline seats and hotel rooms but not allowed to organise or conduct tours. With many people today booking directly with airlines and hotels, travel agencies are of little use except for the big ones that serve large corporate customers and charge management fees.
Motac normally grants only the Inbound Tour Operator licence to new applicants and the company may accept reservations from foreign tour operators or directly from visitors before their arrival to Malaysia.
Inbound tour operators are also involved in domestic tourism by selling and providing tour services within the country. Although most of these customers are Malaysians, many are not, and they comprise foreign tourists already in the country and foreign workers, including expatriates.
Those who wish to operate tour buses, vans and rental vehicles must also obtain the Inbound Tour Operator licence from Motac before applying for permits to operate Bas Persiaran and Kereta Sewa Pandu.
Not all inbound tour operators venture into tour vehicle business because of high capital outlay but low profits, if any. Those who did, took the least risky route by operating tour vans, as the vehicles are affordable, and demand is good.
Many new in the travel business would later apply for the Outbound Tour Operator licence, which authorises them to sell packaged tours to overseas by collecting payments from customers after planning the itineraries, appointing local service providers and blocking airline seats,
Unlike inbound tour operators that sometimes do not receive payment from overseas operators, outbound tour operators are not owed any money but must be accountable for payments collected by ensuring all services are provided accordingly.
The tour business is about meeting expectations, and a good tour leader or tourist guide must not only be knowledgeable and friendly but also be adept at handling people of various backgrounds and cultures, apart from ensuring promises given by various parties are delivered.
In Malaysia, dissatisfied customers could easily take tour operators to the Tribunal for Consumer Claims. For just RM5, an aggrieved customer could fill up a complaint form and serve an endorsed-filed copy to the tour operator, officially giving notice to appear at the Tribunal in 14 days.
Not appearing on the day of hearing or a weak defence would allow the complainant to win judgement and be awarded compensation as sought. As no legal representation is allowed on the day of hearing, the tour operator must send one of its staff to defend.
Although I may have 45 years of experience in the travel industry, including serving as general manager in seven companies, I would rather be a trainer and consultant than risk operating a travel business.
In recent years, there had been a proliferation of travel and tour companies, many started by those who have not worked in the travel industry. Hopefully, it is not the case of “fools rush in where angels fear to tread” for those jumping on the tourism bandwagon.
