Muslim-centric tourism proposal for Langkawi draws brickbats

Tourism players in Langkawi say the island is already a Muslim friendly destination.

PETALING JAYA: A proposal to turn Langkawi into a “preferred Muslim destination” has drawn negative response and voices of concern among tourism industry players on the island.

Boat charter company CEO Alexander Isaac and hotelier Eugene Dass said it is more important to upgrade existing facilities and amenities while tour operator Pishol Ishak sees it as a marketing gimmick.

Dass is also concerned that if the move means imposing shariah compliance requirements, it may have a negative impact on the tourism sector.

They were commenting on a proposal by deputy minister of tourism, arts and culture Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan to make Langkawi a preferred Muslim destination to woo tourists.

Khairul had told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that the move was to make Langkawi a more family-oriented destination and to enhance the focus on the spiritual aspect.

Dass, who is president of the Kedah and Perlis chapter of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), said a lot of work has to be done to make Langkawi a more attractive destination for tourists.

“The tourist sites must also be properly managed to prevent frequent breakdown of amenities,” he told FMT.

“If something breaks down, it should be repaired quickly,” he added.

The Kedah and Perlis chapter of MAH represents the interests of 56 hoteliers, six of which are in Perlis. Of the 50 in Kedah, 39 are located in Langkawi.

Dass also called for an audit of the management of popular activities such as tours of mangrove areas and island hopping.

He said this is to determine whether or not there is a need to improve the quality of the tours.

Isaac called for a revamp of the infrastructure on the island. For instance, he said, there must be more bicycle friendly lanes and proper pedestrian walkways, especially in the tourist belt.

Just a gimmick?

Dass and Isaac pointed out that Langkawi is already Muslim-friendly and has attracted a large number of Muslim visitors.

“We have welcomed many tourists from the Middle East and other parts of the Muslim world,” Isaac said.

He said many Muslims from China have also visited Langkawi.

Dass said making Langkawi focus on Muslim visitors will not give it an edge.

“Even if we can push to become a ‘preferred Muslim destination’ now, our facilities are not ready,” he said.

Dass also urged the ministry to be more specific in its definition of “preferred Muslim destination”.

“The deputy minister must be clear about what he wants to do. If it’s just a tagline, Langkawi is already ready,” he said.

“But, if we are talking about being shariah compliant, this is where the worry comes, because alcohol will be prohibited and there could be dress codes imposed,” he added.

Recently, minister of tourism, arts and culture Tiong King Sing expressed concern that a ban on alcohol consumption and stringent dress code in Langkawi will lead to a decline in tourist arrivals.

In response, Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor labelled Tiong’s comments as “lies and slander”.

Pishol sees Khairul’s proposal as merely an attempt to put a tagline to efforts to promote halal tourism.

“But once we focus (only on wooing Muslim tourists), we will lose out,” he told FMT.

Pishol, who owns Sala Tours and Travel, said that rather than be confined to one segment of the market, Langkawi should be opened to all.

The Langkawi Development Authority expects three million tourists to visit this year, and about 30% of them are expected to come from the Middle East.