Tourism a dead end for us?

I have always been very passionate about the tourism industry, infact it was one of my beats when I was reporting with the New Straits Times. Tourism has been one of the top revenue earners for Malaysia for a number of years but not anymore I think. It is sad to hear this because there is so much potential for the industry but we are led and governed bu a bunch of people who have no inkling what tourism is. To make it worse we have Ministers who are no passionate about tourism but who are born politicians and who only think about how to make a quick million.

Over the years the tourism products in the country have slowly diminished. Yesterday I was helping my daughter do her homework and the books were going on about KLCC and KLIA are proud achievements of the country. I do not dispute that they reflect progress of a nation towards developemnt of a once third world country but they are not the main reasons why tourists love or loved Malaysia.

I say it in the past tense because honestly, what does Malaysia have to show tourists??? If you foreign friends coming here where would you take them? Dataran Merdeka? Sultan Abdul Samad Building? KLCC of course and The Gardens perhaps? Even the National Zoo is a sad state. There was a letter from a Malaysian in The Stare last week complaining about how Petaling Stret is now a place for thugs and foreign workers on leave.

I have had foreign friends come and honestly I didn't know what to show them. Seri Malaysia for a cultural show? The food there is terrible. my home cooked meals were more appreciated and one-third the price.

Whatever natural resources we have are not maintained instead sold for a high price. Our environment has been the scapegoat for development. We used to have mountains and now all are cut away to build and build and build on. Whatever trees that took hundreds of years to grow have been mercilessly cut down to accomodate more traffic. If you go to any other Western country, this practice would not take place.

Our Government and the local councils have no inkling about how to appreciate natural resources and things of value that people truly appreciate. They do not worry about floods which they have caused or about wild animals not having a habitate anymore. All they worry about is money. Imagine cutting down a hundred year old tree to replace with some stupid insipid plants every two or three months just so the nursery supplier can have a steady income. What is the point?

Why is it that people do not appreciate what God has given us and entrusted us with? Is it so difficult to show some appreciation for nature? Do these authorities know there are ways of saving trees instead of just chopping them down and selling them off to make money. KLCC did it for their park which means the task is not impossible at all. This is a never ending topic but no solution to it because the people who care are me and you and not the Minister of Environment ( the former one was more worried about maintaining his lifestyle and women!)

Initially I wanted to talk about front line service but I guess I have to do that in another post. That is a mouthful too!

It is sad that tourism can no longer be a revenue earner for the country all because of sustainance. I used to write brochures about the beautiful beaches and lush greenery made Malaysia a haven for tourists. HAH! What a joke!!!!