This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on February 20, 2023 - February 26, 2023

Last week, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said his ministry would be issuing a circular to bar tour operators and guides from including shopping in a tour itinerary.

Itineraries that include one or two attractions followed by shopping would be forbidden. Instead, operators have been told to schedule breaks of a day or two so that tourists can decide for themselves where to shop. He also warned that action would be taken if incoming tours continue to include shopping trips. Tour operators and tour guide licences are, after all, issued by his ministry.

The latest decision is said to have been prompted by tourist complaints that tour agents are taking tourists to certain outlets because of the commission they receive from the retailer. That may be true of some tour agents, but not all.

Industry players want the tourism minister to review the decision and not place a blanket ban on the industry. They have countered that shopping ought to be included in an itinerary as long as it is not restricted to nominated shops.

Tourism is undeniably a major revenue generator for the country. In 2019, pre-Covid 19, it was the third-largest contributor to the economy, contributing 15.9% to total GDP.

While it is good that the ministry is looking into restraining tour operators whose itinerary is dominated by visits to outlets that reward them with commissions, instead of shopping malls that the tourists would prefer to go to, it should be mindful of not making the measure overly restrictive. This is especially because both tourism and the retail sector took a battering during the pandemic and have only just begun to recover.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's AppStore and Androids' Google Play.