PETALING JAYA: Yes, the weather is boiling hot but so is the warmth in Malaysian hospitality.
For some tour guides, they are bringing out the hats, caps and umbrellas for visitors.
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It was standard practice for operators to provide drinking water and towels, while tour guides would regularly remind visitors to stay hydrated and take precautions, said Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association president Mint Leong.
“Tourists are generally aware of the weather condition. They would adjust accordingly. Some may choose not to leave the vehicle while others would get down just briefly for photos,” she said when contacted.
Tour guides, she said, play an important role in keeping visitors informed and comfortable during outdoor stops.
Leong said most holidaymakers could remain comfortable as many core facilities were air-conditioned.
“Tour buses and major attractions such as shopping malls have air-conditioning, so visitors can remain comfortable even during periods of high temperatures,” she said.
Although the weather was hot, Leong said it was generally still manageable compared with more extreme weather conditions elsewhere.
“The temperatures at our tourist sites normally do not reach the levels seen in some countries during peak summer time,” she said.
Malaysian Association of Theme Park & Family Attractions Tan Sri Richard Koh said theme park operators are increasingly shifting their focus towards indoor attractions and extending night-time operations to mitigate the impact of hot weather.
He said the shift towards night-time and indoor offerings is particularly relevant for outdoor parks where exposure to heat is more significant.
For now, he said visitor numbers at night are building up.
“We are seeing progress as we continue to educate the public to consider visiting in the evening,” he said.
Uzaidi Udanis, who is the founder of a tourism platform, said tourism players had adopted a more flexible approach in dealing with visitors amid the heatwave.
Towels, hats, caps and umbrellas should be made available, he said.
He said itineraries should be adjusted where possible, suggesting that sight-seeing begin early in the day to avoid the afternoon heat.
“For example, city tours can begin before breakfast, with hotels preparing packed meals,” he said, adding that operators should minimise long walks under the sun.
“(Tour) operators need to be more flexible and prioritise the comfort of guests rather than strictly following the standard way of doing things,” he said.
Uzaidi also called for better planning to reduce waiting times, including preparing tickets in advance to avoid long queues in hot conditions.
However, he acknowledged that sightseeing in Malaysia remained largely a daytime activity.
Sahabat Tomyam adviser Che Mamad Che Mod said the hot weather had not significantly changed dining patterns.
Most patrons would arrive late afternoon when it was less hot, he said.
However, he said the heatwave had led to higher operating costs, particularly for electricity.
Che Mamad said many tomyam and casual dining outlets are buying less stock, getting only what they need for the day to avoid wastage as fresh produce spoils more quickly in the heat.
“We have to store our food very carefully in the fridge. The electricity bill goes up, storage costs go up, but we can’t just raise our menu prices.
“If we increase prices too much, people will stop coming. So we end up absorbing a lot of the cost ourselves,” he added.
