THE Regional Sarawak Tourist Guide (RSTG) course tailored for the state’s tourism industry is expected to be implemented by the end of this year.
According to Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, his ministry is currently finalising the syllabus and modules of the course, which will replace the existing one required by tourist guides to obtain their licence.
“The existing programme is more inclined towards (that of) Peninsular Malaysia. With the implementation of RSTG, my ministry will be empowered to monitor and review the modules benefitting the state’s needs,” Abang Johari said during his ministerial winding-up speech in the august house yesterday.
For this year, he said, the ministry had conducted programmes slated for complementing the needs of major stakeholders within the tourism supply chain comprising tourist guides, frontliners, operators of food outlets and homestays as well as event organisers.
He also highlighted some new additions to this year’s capacity building and industry training – namely the Heritage Awareness Programme and Bird Guiding Workshop.
He added that the Heritage Awareness Programme, which was held on Nov 4-6 this year, saw 15 nature tourist guides taking part.
He said the programme aimed at instilling in the participants the awareness and importance of preserving the state’s heritage, culture and history.
On another note, Abang Johari also announced that as at August this year, the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre received 60,404 visitors, while Bako National Park recorded a total of 33,717 visitors.
He also said that an initiative carried out by Sarawak Tourism Board and Sarawak Forestry Corporation had produced revamped tourism packages.
involving eco-tourism sites at Bako National Park and Semenggoh Wildlife Centre here, as well as Lambir National Park and Piasau Nature Reserve in Miri.
“To springboard the state’s eco-tourism industry, local players are also given the opportunity to take advantage of the supply chain and the spillover effect,” he said.
From January to September this year, the state registered 31 homestays involving 464 operators that hosted a total of 21,006 visitors, which translated into a generated income of RM2.8 million.
Under the 10th Malaysia Plan, the federal Tourism Ministry, Abang Johari said, had allocated RM64.9 million for the implementation of 65 tourism-related projects in the state.
So far, he added, 55 projects had been completed and nine had been awarded to contractors, while one was still in the design stage.
The Prime Minister’s Department, according to him, would also set aside an additional RM11.3 million to boost homestay projects in Kampung Pueh Longhouse, Kampung Benuk Longhouse, Annah Rais Longhouse, Rumah Nyuka Longhouse and Bawang Assan Longhouse.
“These projects have been awarded to contractors and are expected to be completed by end-2015,” he stated.