Please find below a new press statement from STGA in response to http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/05/05/sabah-tourist-guides-still-have-to-improve-ums/

Sabah Tourist Guides Association are sadden by the vague and unfair statement made by Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS) head of the tourism management programme, Roseni Ariffin saying that Sabah Tourist Guides still have to improve during a tourism event held at their campus.

STGA Chairman Daniel Doughty said “Not just tourist guide need to improve, everyone do, this include tourism lecturers in UMS. We must acknowledge that whoever completed the tourist guide course will not come out being the best.”

He added that it is because of sabah tourist guides that tourism in sabah and in malaysia is as vibrant as it is today. There been numerous times that sabahan wins the best tourist guides awards and known to be the most hospitable, knowledgable and professional guides in malaysia.

“We must not forget that almost all of the exciting eco tourism related product and services is in sabah, hence sabah has the most guides in malaysia specializing in various fields and topic, particularly eco related. I wish to also remind her that sabah is not so much of a shopping destination”.

“Over so many years of the marketing excellence implemented sabah tourism, the ministry and travel agents, we now see tourist from all over the world, we often forget that it is because of the dynamics of sabah’s professional tourist guides that tourist frequently return back”.

“Since the early days of tourism in sabah, almost all of the the exciting tourism product in sabah are design by tourist guides, they then move on being a travel agent and many still remain as a member in our association.”

“We too acknowledge that foreign language speaking guides is part of those challenges and demand needed in this industry. we need to find the right and better solution to this issue than just sending our members to a language class here at Kota kinabalu”

“I would also like to suggest that since she sees the shortfalls in our profession , to engage and have dialogue with STGA to identify solution on all our challenges so to propel the profession to excellence. To begin with, we hope that she could take the lead and guide us to establish opportunity for experience guides to be have scholarship and aim toward getting a PHD on a certain topic”.

Doughty said, STGA members are excited to work closely with University Malaysia Sabah and are confident that together, they could solve the shortage of foreign language speaking tourist guides in sabah.

End.