Leave job to tourist guides – Masidi
KOTA KINABALU May 8, 2012: Datuk Masidi Manjun said the tour guiding job should be left to licensed tourist guides.
The Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister said this when asked to comment on Federal Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen’s call for taxi and hired car associations to offer attractive packages and to double up as tour guides.
“I have yet to get the details of the minister’s new initiative but suffice to say that the real tour should be left to licensed tourist guides who have invested money and time to obtain their licence,” he said.
Masidi added that the tour guiding industry in Sabah had just gone through a controversy on the issue of the green badge and blue badge issued by the federal Tourism Ministry and this new proposal would only stir up new controversy.
“The issue is not merely on the merits of the proposal but the need for the federal Tourism Ministry to be more consultative with the various stakeholders, especially the tour agents and tour companies.
“The interests of all stakeholders need to be considered and protected. A simple sightseeing tour of Kuala Lumpur could probably be handled by taxi drivers and which I believe is already being done through private arrangements with their passengers,” he said.
Ng’s proposal during the recent launching of Taxi Tourism Service had angered tour guides and tour operators in Sabah, prompting the Sabah Tourist Guide Association (STGA) and Malaysia Association of Tours & Travel Agent to issue a joint statement registering their unhappiness on Sunday.
Matta Sabah chairman K.L Tan said, “Tourism should benefit all community , this include taxi drivers but can taxi associations under their current legislations offer tour packages?”
“Taxi association was set up to carry passengers and tourist guide association was set up to represent guides while MATTA was set up to organize tours. Are we setting the precedent to do away with the guideline and certification process?” he added.
STGA chairman Daniel Doughty reminded Ng that to be a qualified tour guide, there is minimum academic requirements in addition to the mandatory three to six months course to obtain either green badge or blue badge.
“Hence the need of only a day-course to be a tourist guide is disturbing to us all as everyone is concerned about the quality of service, operating standards and insurance issues among others.
“If Datuk Ng Yen Yen really believes it is a good idea, some members suggest that taxi licences be given to existing tourist guides. They run business like a travel agent and will further improve taxi services in Malaysia, then be prepared for the possible worst case scenario,” Doughty added.
Both STGA and MATTA Sabah believe that the Tourism Ministry has just opened up another window of opportunity for the illegal tour operators and illegal tourist guides.
“If every taxi driver can be a guide and act like a travel agent, why should travel agents have proper premises, paid-up capital , comply with Tourism Industry Act 1992 , incur overhead costs, and obtain bas persiaran vans or hire and drive cars with high premiums?
“Better to dispose of the vans and cars and purchase taxis to carry out inbound business. Allowing taxi drivers to act as travel agents or tour consultants could lead to many unwanted negative impacts on our destination marketing and national image overall,” Tan stressed.
by Nancy Lai
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Some people likes to travel by themselves without using tour guides.
BalasPadamya.. kos lebih murah tanpa guide, mereka adakalanya suka bergerak sendiri.
PadamTerserah kepada sama ada mahu tourist guide atau tidak.
PadamTapi kalau pemandu teksi kita tidak mampu membawa para pelancong ke tempat-tempat yang terkenal di Sabah, susah juga pelancong itu. Jadi adalah bagus jika pemandu teksi mempunyai pengetahuan yang sewajarnya.
PadamPelancong di Sabah lebih suka bergerak sendiri.
PadamLebih baik menggunakan pemandu pelancong agar tidak buang masa dan lebih banyak tempat untuk pergi.
PadamMore flexible I think.
Padampilihan masing-masing sama ada mau gunakan pemandu pelancong atau tidak.
PadamIf our taxi drivers are more well informed and experience, they could actually be a good asset to our local tourism industry since the tourist who came here knew they can count on the taxi drivers to drive them to their destination accurately.
BalasPadamBut the taxi service also need to give reasonable price for tourists.
PadamReasonable price for taxi service is important otherwise the tourist will complain that our taxi service are rip offs.
PadamPemandu teksi juga perlu ada pengetahuan tentang tempat2 menarik di sabah dan memberi harga yg berpatutan.
PadamBerkemungkinan kerajaan harus menentukan kadar yang berpatutan atau minimum.
PadamHope that the government can come up with a win-win situation to boost our tourism industry.
BalasPadamKerjasama dari semua pihak dapat menyelesaikan masalah ini.
BalasPadamHarap kerajaan akan dapat mencari jalan penyelesaian berkenaan dengan hal ini., dan semua pihak berpuas hati.
BalasPadamIndustri ini akan terus berkembang jika diusahakan dengan baik.
BalasPadamya..industri ini berpotensi untuk terus berkembang.
PadamKadar tambang harus berpatutan agar tidak mengejutkan pelancong.
BalasPadamUsaha semua pihak diperlukan untuk mempertingkatkan industri pelancongan yang semakin penting untuk pendapatan negeri.
BalasPadamSemoga pihak menteri Pelacongan mengkaji kaedah yang lebih berkesan untuk menanggani masalah yang dihadapi.
BalasPadamHoping Ministry of Tourism able to identify the issue and be able to overcome it.
BalasPadamPara pemandu juga harus dilatih untuk membawa pelancong ke tempat pelancongan yang terkenal dan mempromosikannya.
BalasPadamsemua berperanan untuk mempromosikan pelancongan di Sabah.
BalasPadamteruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan jumlah pelancong datang ke Sabah.
BalasPadamKalau dilihat bukan saja mereka yang berkerja dalam perlancongan saja tapi jika boleh semua orang pun boleh bersama-sama memperkenalkan Sabah ini.
BalasPadamsepatutnya Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen berbincang dahulu dengan menteri pelancongan Sabah dan juga pemain2 sektor pelancongan di negeri ini sebelum membuat sebarang cadangan..
BalasPadammungkin cadangan Datuk seri Ng Yen Yen ini ada juga pro dan contranya, oleh itu bawa la perkara ini untuk dibincangkan sebelum dimuktamadkan..
BalasPadam