KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry should provide clear guidelines on the types of shopping destinations not allowed to be listed in tour itineraries, says Malaysia Tourism Council president Uzaidi Udani.
He explained that travel agents would usually promote local products such as Tongkat Ali, bird’s nest, pewter and Sarawak pepper.
“When you bring the tourists to the Lenggong Valley World Heritage site, will you recommend the traditional food there called kebebe? Are we allowed to list this in our tour itinerary?” he asked.
On Friday, Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said travel operators would no longer be permitted to list shopping itineraries as part of their tours.
He said a circular would be issued to clarify that tour guides are not allowed to take the tourists shopping, adding that this issue came about because there had been many complaints from travellers.
Uzaidi, when contacted yesterday, pointed out that tourists to China would be taken to visit tea farms and learn about Chinese tea.
However, he also said that he understood the minister’s concern as there had been some cases of agents offering “zero-fare” tours that merely took the visitors shopping instead of showing them places of interest.
Penang Global Tourism director Datuk Albert Tan agreed with the minister, citing past cases of “zerofare” or extremely low-fee tours where the tour guides would take the visitors shopping just so that the tour operators could earn commissions from the shops and cover their costs.
“We are opposed to such practices that would tarnish the reputation of the nation’s tourism sector. Thus, we support the minister’s stance,” he said.
However, he noted that the government should consult with the tourism industry and obtain advice from travel agents before making any decisions.
Fomca president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason also welcomed the minister’s plan, saying:
“This is important since tourists join tours to see attractions, not to shop. And not all tourists have a budget to shop.”
“Tourists also have the right to choose where they want to shop, as sensible consumers must compare prices,” he added.
