Written reply to PQ on Strategies and measures to support tourist guides amid evolving industry challenges

Question

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry what strategies and measures are being implemented to support tourist guides in the face of evolving challenges such as shifting tourist preferences, competition from online platforms and unlicensed tour guiding by foreign operators.

Written Answer by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong

1. The Future of Guiding (FOG) 2.0 Taskforce was set up in 2023 by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). It included industry stakeholders such as tourist guides, travel agents and tourist guide associations. The Taskforce worked with STB to develop a FOG 2.0 plan with the objective of ensuring a vibrant and steady pipeline of tourist guides who are able to showcase the different facets of our Singapore story.

2. In response to the growing trend of free and independent travellers and readily available online resources for self-discovery, tourist guides will need to offer more customised and unique tour experiences to remain relevant. Consequently, the training curriculum for tourist guides has been expanded to cover skills such as storytelling, independent research, experience curation, and the use of digital marketing tools.

3. STB is also working to simplify the regulations for existing and aspiring tourist guides. For instance, from June 2024, tourist guides can self-declare their language proficiency and are permitted to guide in these additional languages without waiting for the biannual Multi-Language Proficiency Test.

4. STB takes a serious view against unlicensed tourist guides and conducts enforcement checks regularly. We will not hesitate to take firm action against firms and individuals involved in such activities.