how to overcome barriers of tourism in malaysia

How to Overcome Barriers of Tourism in Malaysia

Malaysia is ranked as the 9th most visited place in the world.[ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]. In an effort to diversify the economy and make Malaysia’s economy less dependent on exports the government has pushed to increase tourism in Malaysia. As a result tourism has become Malaysia’s third largest source of income from foreign exchange. The tourism industry has indeed to grown by leaps and bound and in the process, it has overcomed many obstacles and barriers .

One major barrier is language. The national language is of course Bahasa Melayu but English is widely used amongst the educated locals as well as those working in the service industry. Other languages spoken include Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, Hokkien and many more. Signboards and directions in the main cities and at major tourists points, are in Malay and English. Malaysians have recognized that the English language is an important tool for both business and tourism.

 The sun is strong throughout the year in Malaysia. Tourists must be adviced to take proper care against sunburn constantly . Dehydration and loss of salt through perspiration are two other common problems for the unprepared traveler. They must drink plenty of fluids and pack clothings suitable for a humid and hot weather.

Malaysia unfortunately has a reputation for its dishonest cabbies especially with tourists. Some of them are smartly dressed and even go as far as to make badges that indicate that they are a part of a licensed agent sanctioned by a local tourism association. The authorities have tried to solve this problem by having stiff fines on tout taxis, encouraging tourists to use the Airport Limo service or  KLIA Express to get to or from the airport, and advising tourists of their rights via notices clearly placed in taxis.

Snatch thieves and robbers roaming the streets in search of their next victim is another unfortunate barrier of tourism and unfortunately, there is not enough man power in the law enforcement to curb that. Even so, more patrols and police mobile booths can be seen at night spots and areas frequented by tourists in an attempt to provide a safe haven for their holiday.

To summarise, it is good to be prepared before embarking on a journey anywhere. Tourists to Malaysia face the same rule. In order to ensure our hospitable spirit is remembered rather than the embarrassing acts of a few, the Tourist Board of Malaysia has advertised widely and printed pamplets and booklets giving handy tips and advice to tourists to Malaysia. This move itself is a big step to admitting that barriers may exist, but Malaysia has taken a bold step forward to overcome the barriers.