Rustic gem: Tourism providers should leverage attractions that are not yet popular among non-Malaysians, such as Kampung Kemensah in Ampang, Selangor. – FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
What does it mean to be an educational tourist? Generally, these tourists travel with the purpose of enhancing their knowledge, be it historical, cultural, social, geographical, lingual or societal.
Similarly, don’t we learn directly or indirectly whenever we travel somewhere? Does this then make us educational tourists?
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines educational tourism as a type of tourism in which the primary motivation is the tourist’s engagement and experience in learning, self-improvement, intellectual growth, and skills development.
Consequently, products and services related to academic studies, skill enhancement holidays, school trips, sports training, career development courses and language courses can be provided.
With this in mind, we can further explore the potential and opportunities related to educational tourism in our country.
As the Malaysian government is expecting a growth in international student enrolments and in international tourist arrivals, it is worth understanding the needs and expectations of our foreign friends.
Be it for long-term travels for tertiary studies, student exchange, teaching and research activities, or short-term visits to go for seminars, conferences, study tours or academic exchange programmes, tourism packages for educational tourists must be memorable as this will make them want to revisit us and share their experiences and the cultural richness of Malaysia on social media or through word of mouth.
Recent studies conducted among educational tourists in Malaysia highlighted the importance of language used for communication, the quality of education provided, and the cultural comfort of tourists.
The well-being of tourists and the quality of their experiences in their daily and educational lives are of utmost importance.
Studies have also highlighted the importance of having in place strategies that are modern, progressive and world-class.
Understanding the need for educational tourists will help tourism players to design relevant and attractive packages.
Logistics, activities, dynamism, affordability, living experiences, a safe and peaceful environment, multiculturalism, and English as the main language of communication, are just some of the factors we need to keep in mind.
Educational tourism providers must strategise, plan and identify the most impactful offerings with a sustainable mindset. Indeed, a sustainable plan should not only provide profits to the organiser, but also benefit all stakeholders involved.
But what determines a good plan and how do we ensure that the experience promised will match the expectations of consumers?
Malaysia is very rich in terms of tangible and intangible assets; there are well-known attractions, such as the PETRONAS Twin Towers, the Selangor State Mosque, Batu Caves, A Famosa and Cameron Highlands, but tourism players and organisers should also leverage the cultural uniqueness and hidden gems that are still unexplored or not yet popular among non-Malaysians.
Each state has its own unique history, stories, treasures and cultural diversity, so creating new tourism products and collaborating on the creation and promotion of those educational tourism packages must be done with great care and in consultation with the local community.
We can see the success of educational tourism in many places around the world.
For instance, the Indonesian island of Bali has been strategising and promoting the teaching and learning of Bahasa Indonesia, Balinese crafts and jewellery, traditional paintings, and even diving, and the majority of the local population are fully involved in the educational tourism experience.
The move to create an entire ecosystem that provides unique cultural experiences for its international and even domestic tourists will fully benefit the province and country in the long term.
So, does Malaysia have anything to offer its educational tourists? Earlier this year, the Melaka State Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee announced its plans to rejuvenate educational tourism in the state together with the Melaka Museum Corporation and to involve the youth in history-based courses.
If we want to follow in the footsteps of places like Bali and Melaka, and look forward to a growth in educational tourism, the rest of the country is our new classroom to explore.
Assoc Prof Dr Joaquim Dias Soeiro is the head of the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events at Taylor’s University. In addition to being Train-The-Trainer (TTT) certified, he is certified in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) and is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) by the American Hospitality Lodging and Education Institute. His areas of research include talent development and capabilities attainment within tourism and hospitality education. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
