Steps being taken to raise professionalism and quality of tourist guides

SINGAPORE: Steps are being taken to raise the professionalism and quality of tourist guides in Singapore.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are seeking public feedback on proposed amendments to the Singapore Tourism Board Act for this purpose. 

Both agencies are proposing legislative changes to strengthen the regulations against illegal guiding.

For this, STB’s investigative powers against illegal guiding would be strengthened.

The types of guiding offences are also being updated to keep pace with the modus operandi of unlicensed guiding.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said: “The main concern with this group is really because they are not adequately trained or adequately licensed. They may not convey the right kind of messages and inadvertently or advertently tarnish the reputation of Singapore and the industry in general.

“This is a concern shared across the board by STB and the various stakeholders in the industry. So the enforcement efforts also have got to be stepped up.” 

The government is also raising the maximum penalty for unlicensed guiding and related offences to maintain a deterrent effect, and repealing outdated provisions.

Mr Iswaran said: “Tourist guides are a key touch point for many tourists, and they play an important role in developing and promoting Singapore as a choice tourist destination.

“Hence, we must continuously enhance the professionalism and standards of our tourist guides so that they can provide high-quality, authentic and differentiated travel experiences for tourists.

“STB is working with the industry to raise tourist guide capabilities through various skills upgrading initiatives. We also need to review the regulatory framework to effectively tackle unlicensed guiding, which could otherwise tarnish Singapore’s image and impede the professional development of the tourist guide industry.”

There are currently close to 2,300 licensed tourist guides in Singapore who have the requisite knowledge, language proficiency and professional conduct.

But MTI said the problem of unlicensed guiding has become more apparent due to the rapid growth in visitor arrivals since 2010.

Such guides are known to misrepresent Singapore’s history and culture to tourists.

The public have until December 13 to give their feedback on the proposed changes. The public can provide their feedback to mti_feedback@mti.gov.sg. 

Travel and tour agencies have welcomed the move.

The National Association of Travel Agents Singapore said it is for upgrading the professionalism of the travel industry and welcomes the review of the Singapore Tourism Board Act.  

A spokesperson for SA Tours said: “We think that the proposed changes to the regulation of tour guides is an excellent move by STB and the ministry. We absolutely believe that action should be taken against unlicensed tour guides as they are a detriment to (Singapore’s) travel industry as a whole.

“Unlicensed, unprofessional tour guides can cast an unfair bad light on travel agents in Singapore and ruin the reputation of Singapore that we are all trying hard to promote and uphold. It is also a good way to weed out rogue, fly-by-night agents that choose to engage unlicensed tour guides.” 

Steps being taken to raise professionalism and quality of tourist guides