According to Malaysian Tourist Guides Council president Jimmy Leong, the tourism industry needs to enhance its offerings by providing experiential products that go beyond the typical. Leong stated that the industry is currently facing new challenges and should move away from its old mindset. He noted that the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a trend of tourists seeking more personalized experiences rather than conventional tourism products. In some cases, visitors are looking to learn about the heritage and culture of places on their own, often without the need for tour guides. Leong believes that Malaysia, with its cultural heritage, rich past, and multicultural society, is ideally suited to cater to these demands and should therefore present more heritage walks and cultural villages to provide an immersive experience and promote understanding of Malaysian culture.
Leong made these comments in reference to improvements that could be made by the tourism industry in line with the World Tourism Day celebration in September.
Kota Tinggi has the potential to become a top international tourism destination if connectivity issues are addressed, according to Greater Desaru Tourism Association chairman Kol (Rtd) Mohd Jamal Salleh. While Kota Tinggi has many tourism products to be proud of, their growth potential is currently limited due to connectivity issues in Desaru. These issues primarily manifest as congestion at the Senai Desaru Expressway (SDE) during weekends or long holidays. The congestion affects not only the route to Desaru but also the road leading to Johor Baru.
The association suggests that the government take action to redirect more passengers from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore to Tanjung Pengelih Jetty and Tanjung Belungkor Jetty, in addition to the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal. This will provide people with more travel options to Desaru and help alleviate the number of vehicles on the road, as per Mohd Jamal’s recommendation.
Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
