Interpersonal communication more important than mastery of languages

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I REFER to the report “Tour guides required to attend course to improve service quality ‒ MOTAC”.  Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing stated that every tour guide in the country will be required to undergo special training offered by Tourism Malaysia in an effort to improve the quality of services.

He said it will be in collaboration with language and tourism centres, and to be implemented nationwide to improve the ability of tour guides in mastering several languages. But the report is flawed and also revealed several shortcomings of MOTAC, particularly regarding training of tourism frontliners including tour guides.

Firstly, Tourism Malaysia is the marketing engaged in tourism promotions. Training of tourist guides is under the ministry’s Industry Development Division. Those who wish to work as tour guides must enrol for a course at one of the tourism training institutes, which are also accredited with the Department of Skills Development.

Candidates are required to undergo a minimum of 260 hours training in the classroom, 160 hours in preparing assignments, and 80 hours practical training in a tour bus to receive a National Occupational Skills Standard Level 3 certificate, and sit for a written exam held simultaneously nationwide thrice a year by MOTAC.

Most tourist guide courses are conducted part time in the evenings and weekends, and courses can be completed within four to six months and ending before the written tests in April, August and December.  From the onset, questions for written tests were in English, and could be answered either in Malay or English.

As for practical exams, candidates may choose any popular language, which can be Malay, English, Mandarin or even a Chinese dialect. Those who are proficient in foreign languages could pick Japanese, Korean, Arabic or any European language.

Candidates who have passed both written and practical exams would be licensed to guide in one language, and may sit for more practical exams to add more languages. Evaluations are based on responses in an oral interview, descriptions when shown photos, and commentaries on board a tour bus.

(Image: The Star)

Few tourist guides are licensed for more than one language. Those who are good in a language would be busy with work assignments and least interested in adding another language. In any case, it would be difficult to master another language at a centre, and much easier by immersing in a foreign country and living with locals.

Tour guides need not be multilingual, as mastery of a language is secondary to interpersonal communication skills. Tourists who are interested in information could easily find them online in the language of their choice anytime. Today, visitors do not have to depend on tourist guides or anyone they meet for local information.

Moreover, only about 3% of the 47 million foreign visitors next year will be travelling in groups using tour buses with tour guides. Undoubtedly, all tourism frontliners require training, not on learning new languages, but on interpersonal communications skills that involve visual, vocal and verbal communications.

Verbal communication using words and language understood by both parties accounts for only seven percent in face-to-face communication.

The tone of the voice which reveals the feelings is far more important, as vocal communication weighs in at 38%. The same word can have the opposite meaning if uttered in different tones! But most of all is visual communication at 55%.

Regardless the words used or measured tones, we are perceived by others mostly based on our facial expression, gestures and body language.

Everyone, including tourist guides and tourism frontliners must be trained to show courtesy, and learn to turn a negative situation into a positive one, and not reprimand those who may have been intentionally or inadvertently wrong.

A good example was Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming responding to the Utusan Malaysia reporter asking why the “I Lite U” was in English instead of Malay. It was similar to asking MOTAC why the “Malaysia Truly Asia” tagline was in English instead of Malay.

It is a no-brainer that both are meant for international audiences and aimed at attracting more foreign tourists. The entire press conference at the pre-launch was in Malay.

If reporters were nitpicking, seasoned politicians should not fall into a trap, and could even come out smelling like a rose by flipping the situation successfully. ‒ Nov 4, 2025

 

YS Chan is the master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course. He is an Asean Tourism Master Trainer and also a tourism and transport business consultant.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.

 

Main image: Malay Mail

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