The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) is set to review the Tourism Industry Act (AIP) 1992 (Act 482), announced Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan. He shared that the ministry will engage in discussions with industry stakeholders to collect feedback before making any final decisions regarding the act.
Khairul Firdaus made these remarks in response to a question from Salamiah Mohd Nor (PN-Temerloh) during the Dewan Rakyat’s question-and-answer session. Salamiah had inquired whether MOTAC would consider revising or repealing Section 6(1)(i)(iii) of the AIP 1992, which requires every tour bus to be accompanied by a tour guide. She expressed concerns that this requirement places a burden on domestic tour bus operators catering to small-scale, local tourists rather than foreign visitors.
In his response, Khairul Firdaus clarified that the AIP regulations are designed to support the local tourism ecosystem, covering the needs of tour operators, tour guides, tourism training institutions, tourism vehicles, and the registration and classification of tourist accommodation facilities. He also noted that the ministry offers flexibility, allowing tour bus operators to apply for exemptions from the tour guide requirement in specific cases, provided they meet certain criteria.
On a separate matter, Khairul Firdaus addressed a question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) regarding MOTAC’s preparations for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026. He revealed that the ministry plans to utilise Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship next year to promote the VMY 2026 campaign. As the host of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), Malaysia aims to showcase its tourism offerings to ASEAN member nations, with the goal of attracting more visitors from the region in 2026.
