KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) will conduct a review of the Tourism Industry Act (AIP) 1992 (Act 482), said Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan. He stated that the ministry will hold discussions with industry stakeholders to gather feedback before making any final decisions.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Khairul Firdaus emphasized MOTAC’s commitment to consulting with and receiving feedback from industry players. This statement was made in response to a question from Salamiah Mohd Nor (PN-Temerloh) during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat. Salamiah inquired if MOTAC would consider revising or repealing Section 6(1)(i)(iii) of the AIP 1992, which mandates that every tour bus be accompanied by a tour guide. She argued that this requirement burdens domestic tour bus operators who primarily cater to small-scale, local tourists rather than foreign visitors.

Khairul Firdaus responded by explaining that the AIP regulations are intended to support the loc
al tourism ecosystem, addressing the needs of tour operators, tour guides, tourism training institutions, tourism vehicles, and the registration and classification of tourist accommodation facilities. He noted that the ministry provides flexibility by allowing tour bus operators to apply for exemptions from the tour guide requirement in specific cases, provided they meet certain criteria.

In response to a separate question from Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) regarding MOTAC’s preparations for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026, Khairul Firdaus mentioned that the ministry plans to leverage Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship next year to promote the VMY 2026 campaign. He stated that as host of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), Malaysia will seize this opportunity to showcase its tourism offerings to ASEAN member nations, aiming to attract more visitors from the region in 2026.