The Johor Forestry Department (JPNJ) plans to make it compulsory for all climbing activities in the state’s permanent forest reserves (HSK) to use the services of mountain guides starting January next year.
JPNJ director Datuk Salim Aman said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that all ecotourism activities run safely and in accordance with standard operating procedures set by the authorities.
“These mountain guides do not only show the direction but also help with obtaining permits and other matters at police stations as well as take the climbers up and down the hills in an orderly manner. We want to make sure the climb is properly managed.
“We will hold discussions with the state government to determine which areas need this service but for a start, we recommend in the HSK areas,” he told reporters at an event in Johor recently.
Salim said JPNJ would also discuss with the state government to set the fee for the service in accordance with the packages taken by climbers or tourists.
He added that to date, a total of 180 mountain guides have been officially certified as guides for climbing activities in the state.
Taxing problems
Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) is urging online travel agencies or OTAs that are operating overseas to register their businesses under the Tour Operating Business and Travel Agency Business (TOBTAB) category so that it can impose taxes on the companies.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said most of these overseas OTAs did not have premises or offices in Malaysia, making it difficult for the ministry to impose legal or enforcement actions on them.
“Most of these online companies are not registered with the ministry. We’ve tried to discuss with them – some have registered with the ministry as they have been asked to set up physical premises in our country.
“We urge the others to register with us so that we can impose taxes on them,” she said during a recent session in the Dewan Rakyat.
Nancy said this in response to a question from Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus (PH-Hulu Langat) who wanted to know the types of taxes that could be imposed on OTAs offering tour packages in Malaysia but are operating overseas.
According to Nancy, Motac had hosted engagement sessions with several international OTAs to ensure that they comply with the Tourism Industry Act 1992 (Act 482), and to urge them to register under TOBTAB.
She said as a result, foreign OTAs have opened subsidiaries in the country and have been licensed by Motac such as Klook Travel Technology, Traveloka and BEX Travel Malaysia. – Bernama
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